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: bay · jam · bat · leaves · field · drill · plane · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. drill — the tool
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. field — for sport
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bat — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. field — farmland
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. field — a subject
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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