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: plane · bay · racket · safe · ground · trunk · shower · hand

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. shower — to wash
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — help
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ground — crushed
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ground — the earth
  22. hand — in cards
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. shower — rain

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