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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. toast — bread
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spring — the season
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spring — of water
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pass — a permit
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. scale — size or range

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