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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. craft — a skill
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tear — to rip
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. craft — boats
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. tear — from crying
  15. chest — of your body
  16. tear — from crying
  17. chest — a box
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. prune — to trim
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chest — of your body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — to lash out

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