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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mate — a partner
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. field — farmland
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. field — for sport
  15. mate — to breed
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mate — a friend
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. field — a subject

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