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 116 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: plane · lean · pop · pit · wound · shower · rest · staff

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. shower — rain
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pop — music
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pop — to visit
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pop — soda
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. rest — what's left
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rest — a break
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wound — an injury
  20. staff — employees
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lean — thin

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