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 120 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. march — the month
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. current — electric
  7. shower — to wash
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. current — of water
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. shower — rain
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fall — to drop
  15. march — music
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fork — in a road
  18. kick — in football
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. fall — the season
  22. current — happening now
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. march — the month

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