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

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. lie — to recline
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. spell — a short time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. spell — magic
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — letters
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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