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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. net — in sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rock — music
  24. mouse — the animal

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