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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. charge — in control
  3. mate — a friend
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rest — what's left
  7. spring — of water
  8. plane — a tool
  9. spring — a coil
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mate — a partner
  20. game — a match
  21. charge — a price
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spring — the season
  24. charge — electricity

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