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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. sharp — clever
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. track — a path
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mine — for digging
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hand — help
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. sharp — exactly

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