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: bore · game · firm · lean · spell · drill · plane · last

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bore — to tire
  6. firm — decided
  7. spell — letters
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. firm — a company
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. drill — army training
  13. game — wild animals
  14. lean — to bend
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bore — to drill
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. firm — steady
  20. game — a match
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. last — finally
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. lean — thin

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