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: tear · plane · club · scale · mark · field · ruler · pit

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. club — for golf
  3. scale — size or range
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pit — a hole
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mark — a trace
  9. club — for dancing
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — farmland
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. field — a subject
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. tear — to rip
  17. scale — in music
  18. tear — from crying
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. pit — in a race
  24. club — a group

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