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: arm · snap · file · season · net · bore · plane · ground

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ground — the earth
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. net — after costs
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. net — for catching
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bore — to tire
  13. plane — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. snap — to click
  16. ground — a position
  17. file — a tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. season — in sport
  20. ground — crushed
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. file — a document
  23. season — of the year
  24. net — in sport

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