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 124 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. clip — for paper
  3. spring — a coil
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. charge — a price
  7. spring — the season
  8. charge — in control
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. clip — to cut
  15. face — part of the head
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. spell — magic
  18. spring — of water
  19. plane — a tool
  20. spell — letters
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. clip — a video
  23. spell — a short time
  24. charge — electricity

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