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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. land — to come down
  3. staff — employees
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mate — a partner
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. plane — a tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. mine — for digging
  13. land — ground
  14. kick — in football
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mate — to breed
  17. land — a country
  18. race — humankind
  19. can — a tin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. mate — a friend
  22. staff — employees
  23. race — a contest
  24. staff — a stick

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