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 · cabinet · track · toast · wake · roll · rock · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rock — a stone
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. track — a path
  10. rock — music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. toast — bread
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. track — to keep track
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. roll — a list
  23. plane — a tool
  24. track — a song

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