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: chest · object · rule · ball · bear · sharp · plane · field

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. object — to protest
  5. field — for sport
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. sharp — clever
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rule — a law
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chest — a box
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. object — a thing
  16. rule — government
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. plane — a tool
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bear — the animal
  23. object — an aim
  24. chest — of your body

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