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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. spring — the season
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. spring — of water
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. plane — a tool
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chair — a leader
  20. lie — to recline
  21. spring — a coil
  22. wake — a trail
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pass — a permit

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