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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. tear — to rip
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. object — to protest
  5. rest — a break
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rest — what's left
  8. plane — a tool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. land — to come down
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rest — what's left
  15. board — a committee
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. object — an aim
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. board — to get on
  22. tear — from crying
  23. object — a thing
  24. racket — a loud noise

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