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 116 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: hand · present · cap · scale · ground · plane · deal · calf

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. present — the time now
  5. hand — in cards
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. ground — a position
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ground — crushed
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. present — there
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. scale — in music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. ground — the earth
  23. deal — to handle
  24. present — a gift

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