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 116 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 · coach · ground · bore · march · rash · rock · rest

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. ground — crushed
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ground — the earth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rest — what's left
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rash — a series
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rock — a stone
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. rock — music
  20. march — the month
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rock — to move gently

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