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: pass · cold · plane · hand · object · ruler · charge · jam

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cold — not warm
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cold — an illness
  5. hand — help
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. object — to protest
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. charge — a price
  13. plane — a tool
  14. hand — in cards
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. object — an aim
  19. charge — in control
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. plane — in geometry

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