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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lean — to bend
  4. file — a document
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. net — after costs
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lean — thin
  15. net — in sport
  16. mug — a face
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bore — to drill
  19. net — for catching
  20. file — a tool
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. plane — an aircraft

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