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: scale · current · stick · firm · mate · spring · sharp · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. scale — in music
  5. spring — the season
  6. mate — a friend
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. firm — decided
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. scale — size or range
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mate — to breed
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. sharp — clever
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. current — happening now

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