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 · object · mate · ground · stand · kick · fall · fork

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. fall — the season
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. object — to protest
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mate — a partner
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mate — a friend
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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