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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. spring — a coil
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. spring — of water
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. cell — a phone
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spring — the season
  16. clip — a video
  17. plane — a tool
  18. clip — for paper
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. clip — to cut

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