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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bound — certain
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rest — what's left
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rule — government
  11. bound — tied together
  12. track — to keep track
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. track — a path
  15. plane — a tool
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rest — a break
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rest — what's left
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rule — a law
  24. track — a song

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