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: deal · plane · pound · vault · patient · season · clip · fan

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. deal — to handle
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. clip — to cut
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. vault — a safe
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. clip — a video
  15. season — in sport
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. clip — for paper
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — of the year
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — a tool
  24. deal — an agreement

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