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 · plane · charge · drill · bear · sharp · arm · field

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. field — a subject
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. sharp — clever
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. charge — in control
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bear — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. field — for sport
  14. drill — army training
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. charge — a price
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. field — farmland
  23. plane — a tool
  24. arm — a part of something

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