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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. court — for sport
  5. charge — electricity
  6. court — of a king
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. last — final
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. last — finally
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — the animal
  17. charge — a price
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. charge — in control
  22. court — of law
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. last — to go on

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