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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. arm — part of the body
  3. drill — a practice
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bear — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. plane — a tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. dip — to sink
  17. drill — the tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. drill — army training
  23. leaves — to go away
  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