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: racket · deal · tube · fine · bowl · bay · plane · last

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fine — all right
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. last — final
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. last — to go on
  14. fine — high quality
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. last — finally
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. deal — to handle
  24. fine — a penalty

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