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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. cell — a phone
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. cell — in biology
  6. net — for catching
  7. object — a thing
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. object — an aim
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fall — to drop
  12. plane — a tool
  13. toast — bread
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. net — after costs
  19. object — to protest
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pass — a permit

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