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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spring — the season
  4. charge — electricity
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. land — a country
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. game — wild animals
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. charge — in control
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. land — to come down
  17. charge — a price
  18. wake — a trail
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. game — a match
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. land — ground
  24. plane — a tool

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