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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. field — for sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mine — for digging
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. mouse — the animal

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