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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. key — in music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. land — to come down
  8. bear — the animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. land — ground
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. staff — employees
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. plane — a tool
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. land — a country
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — to roll

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