ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rush — hurry
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. current — of water
  8. march — music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. mine — for digging
  11. current — electric
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — in music
  18. march — the month
  19. current — happening now
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. march — the month
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com