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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chair — a leader
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. clip — for paper
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — a video
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mark — a grade
  18. prune — to trim
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mark — a trace
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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