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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lean — to bend
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wax — to grow
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. present — there
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. press — to push
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wax — in the ear

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