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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. court — for sport
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — of a king
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. race — the arms race
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. race — humankind
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. court — of law
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. race — a contest

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