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: pit · land · mark · fall · plane · board · saw · mouse

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mark — a trace
  11. board — to get on
  12. land — to come down
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. board — a committee
  15. mark — a grade
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. land — a country
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pit — a hole
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fall — the season
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. land — ground

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