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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. toast — bread
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bore — to tire
  9. saw — the tool
  10. game — a match
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bore — to drill
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. game — wild animals
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a tree

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