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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. plane — a tool
  3. spell — magic
  4. pound — a weight
  5. spell — a short time
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cap — of ice
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. drill — the tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. staff — employees
  15. cap — a hat
  16. field — a subject
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. staff — employees
  20. field — for sport
  21. drill — army training
  22. cap — a lid
  23. drill — a practice
  24. field — farmland

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