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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. land — to come down
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. ground — crushed
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. land — ground
  11. track — to keep track
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bat — the animal
  14. track — a path
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ground — a position
  19. fine — all right
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — high quality
  22. land — a country
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ground — the earth

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