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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. net — after costs
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chip — for betting
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bank — for money
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. wake — a trail
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. net — in sport
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bank — of a river
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. net — for catching

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