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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. land — to come down
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. land — ground
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. plane — a tool
  10. land — a country
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. kick — in football
  14. mine — for digging
  15. saw — the tool
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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