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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. date — the fruit
  9. drill — army training
  10. suit — in cards
  11. drill — the tool
  12. suit — clothes
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. row — to paddle
  15. plane — a tool
  16. suit — to fit
  17. shower — rain
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — for golf
  20. bore — to drill
  21. row — a line
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. club — a group
  24. date — on the calendar

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