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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mug — a face
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. tear — to rip
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. capital — money
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. tear — from crying
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. capital — a city
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. tear — from crying

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