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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. charge — a price
  3. spring — a coil
  4. row — to paddle
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. net — for catching
  7. pound — a weight
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. net — after costs
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. charge — electricity
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. row — a line
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. charge — in control
  20. current — electric
  21. net — in sport
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. branch — a division

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