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: mine · scale · plane · craft · ground · last · deal · ruler

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ground — crushed
  4. deal — to handle
  5. last — finally
  6. last — final
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. scale — size or range
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mine — for digging
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ground — the earth
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ground — a position
  21. craft — boats
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. scale — in music

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