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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. band — a music group
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cold — not warm
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. band — a ring
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bat — the animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — music
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. cold — an illness
  24. nail — on a finger

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