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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. plane — a tool
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — in cards
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cold — an illness
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cold — not warm
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. ground — a position
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. ground — crushed
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pit — a hole
  24. cabinet — ministers

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