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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cap — a lid
  3. spell — magic
  4. drill — the tool
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. object — an aim
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. season — of the year
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — a thing
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. object — to protest
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cap — a hat
  15. spell — a short time
  16. drill — a practice
  17. season — in sport
  18. spell — letters
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. cap — of ice

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