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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. hand — in cards
  4. plane — a tool
  5. chest — of your body
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chest — a box
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bore — to drill
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. mark — a grade
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bore — to tire
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mark — a trace

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