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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bound — tied together
  9. wound — an injury
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bound — certain
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cell — a phone
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pass — a permit
  24. plane — in geometry

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