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: craft · degree · court · plane · file · last · press · shower

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. plane — a tool
  3. press — newspapers
  4. court — for sport
  5. file — a line of people
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. court — of a king
  8. last — to go on
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. press — to push
  11. court — of law
  12. craft — a skill
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. degree — from a university
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. degree — an amount
  20. craft — boats
  21. degree — temperature
  22. press — a publisher
  23. file — a tool
  24. shower — rain

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