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 · spell · pound · fork · toast · bat · bowl · rock

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pound — a weight
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. toast — bread
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. spell — magic
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — the animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. spell — a short time
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rock — music
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. spell — letters
  24. bowl — to roll

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