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: lean · plane · ground · chest · game · patient · tube · mate

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. chest — of your body
  3. lean — thin
  4. tube — a container
  5. ground — the earth
  6. mate — to breed
  7. game — a match
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mate — a friend
  10. game — wild animals
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ground — crushed
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mate — a partner
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. ground — a position
  24. lean — to bend

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