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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · wound · ground · cue · plane · track

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. track — a path
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. cue — for pool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ground — the earth
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wound — an injury
  15. cue — a hint
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. cue — a signal

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