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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cell — a phone
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kick — in football
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. firm — steady
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. firm — a company
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cell — in biology

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