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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. scale — in music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. bank — for money
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. scale — size or range
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bank — for money
  17. cold — not warm
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cold — an illness
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — the tool

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