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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rock — a stone
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rock — music
  8. game — wild animals
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. object — an aim
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. object — to protest
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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