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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lean — thin
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bark — to shout
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — a thing
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. snap — to click
  23. lean — to bend
  24. scale — size or range

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