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: plane · pitch · wind · coach · mouse · stock · nail · land

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. land — ground
  7. wind — moving air
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — goods
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. land — a country
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pitch — completely
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. land — to come down
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pitch — a sports field

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