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: plane · pass · scale · stand · pop · ground · bore · squash

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pop — music
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ground — a position
  10. pop — soda
  11. bore — to tire
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ground — the earth
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bore — to drill
  21. scale — in music
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. scale — size or range
  24. squash — the vegetable

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