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: fall · game · land · ruler · fine · plane · mouse · mug

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. mug — a face
  3. land — ground
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. land — to come down
  10. plane — a tool
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. land — a country
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fine — high quality
  18. game — a match
  19. mug — to rob
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. fine — all right
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. game — wild animals

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