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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. plane — a tool
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. root — of a plant
  5. snap — to click
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. capital — a city
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. face — part of the head
  10. capital — money
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. root — of a word
  17. key — in music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. face — to confront
  20. root — the cause
  21. bear — the animal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pass — a permit

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