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: cell · snap · plane · fine · jam · mouse · march · lean

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fine — all right
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. march — music
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. snap — to click
  21. lean — thin
  22. cell — in biology
  23. lean — to bend
  24. plane — an aircraft

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