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: stem · fall · ground · land · fine · plane · foot · deal

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fall — to drop
  8. land — to come down
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. fine — all right
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stem — to come from
  19. fall — the season
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  24. fall — to drop

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