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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. firm — steady
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. season — in sport
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. race — a contest
  9. race — humankind
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — a partner
  13. degree — from a university
  14. season — of the year
  15. firm — decided
  16. ground — crushed
  17. degree — an amount
  18. ground — a position
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. race — the arms race
  21. degree — temperature
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mate — to breed

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