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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. last — to go on
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. last — final
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ball — a great time
  20. last — finally
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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