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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mine — for digging
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mark — a grade
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. present — a gift
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. scale — in music
  24. plane — in geometry

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