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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. staff — employees
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. staff — employees
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. spell — letters
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. ball — a great time
  13. plane — a tool
  14. spell — magic
  15. staff — a stick
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a dance
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wound — an injury
  24. spell — a short time

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