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: cell · coach · pound · mouse · dip · plane · hand · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hand — in cards
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cell — in biology
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. hand — help
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. cell — a phone
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — a trainer

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