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: ground · plane · fine · temple · arm · suit · deal · spell

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ground — crushed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ground — a position
  7. fine — all right
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fine — high quality
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. spell — letters
  13. ground — the earth
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. spell — a short time
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — magic

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