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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitch — completely
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. board — to get on
  7. cold — not warm
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. board — a committee
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. scale — in music
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. plane — a tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — size or range
  24. cold — the Cold War

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