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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. staff — a stick
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. prune — to trim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. staff — employees
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — a tool
  19. kid — child
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bark — to shout
  22. kid — to tease
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. staff — employees

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