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 · bowl · pass · roll · court · saw · wound · suit

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. plane — a tool
  7. roll — a list
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. saw — the tool
  17. court — of a king
  18. suit — in cards
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wound — an injury

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