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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. game — wild animals
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fall — to drop
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. suit — to fit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spell — a short time
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — a match
  18. fall — to drop
  19. tube — a container
  20. spell — letters
  21. fall — the season
  22. tube — the underground
  23. spell — magic
  24. hide — animal skin

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