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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. row — a line
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spell — letters
  11. stand — to bear
  12. row — to paddle
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. face — to confront
  15. spell — magic
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wind — moving air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. wind — moving air

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