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: mine · fall · swing · rule · plane · mark · can · object

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. can — a tin
  5. object — a thing
  6. rule — government
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. plane — a tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. object — to protest
  18. swing — music
  19. rule — a law
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fall — to drop
  22. swing — in golf
  23. object — an aim
  24. fall — to drop

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