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 116 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. rest — a break
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. land — ground
  7. rash — a series
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. land — to come down
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stock — goods
  24. branch — a division

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