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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ground — crushed
  4. scale — in music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. scale — size or range
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rest — a break
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pound — a weight
  14. ball — a dance
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fall — the season
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ground — a position
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. scale — for weighing

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