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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stock — goods
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. can — a tin
  6. season — of the year
  7. stock — shares
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. saw — the tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — clothes
  12. plane — a tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mine — for digging
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. suit — in cards
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. suit — to fit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. season — in sport
  24. saw — the tool

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