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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rest — a break
  3. wake — a trail
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — farmland
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. wound — an injury
  8. board — a committee
  9. shower — rain
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. field — a subject
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. shower — to wash
  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