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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. land — ground
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. plane — a tool
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rock — a stone
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. row — a line
  18. land — a country
  19. land — to come down
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rock — music
  22. row — to paddle
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. plane — in geometry

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