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: nail · leaves · saw · net · stock · plane · rule · spell

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. net — for catching
  2. plane — a tool
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. net — in sport
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. net — after costs
  8. spell — a short time
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rule — government
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spell — letters
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rule — a law
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  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