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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. season — of the year
  3. fine — high quality
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bank — for money
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. swing — music
  12. tear — from crying
  13. season — in sport
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bank — for money
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. tear — to rip
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. tear — from crying
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cell — in biology
  24. fine — all right

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