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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pound — a weight
  4. last — finally
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. plane — a tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. charge — a price
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. last — final
  17. charge — in control
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. last — to go on
  21. mark — a grade
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. hide — animal skin

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