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 120 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: bore · nail · hide · mark · chair · plane · cabinet · rash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rash — a series
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — in geometry

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