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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. band — a music group
  4. chip — to eat
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. drill — army training
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. row — a line
  17. sharp — clever
  18. band — a ring
  19. drill — a practice
  20. saw — the tool
  21. row — to paddle
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. row — a quarrel

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