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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. fine — all right
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wake — a trail
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. band — a music group
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. plane — a tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. band — a ring
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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