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: foot · spring · bound · deal · land · scale · plane · fork

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. land — to come down
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. land — a country
  5. deal — to handle
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bound — obliged
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. foot — a measure
  12. scale — in music
  13. spring — of water
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. spring — the season
  16. land — ground
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bound — certain
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. fork — in a road
  22. scale — size or range
  23. plane — a tool
  24. foot — part of the body

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