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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. plane — a tool
  3. file — a tool
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. file — a document
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. tear — to rip
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. row — a line
  14. mine — for digging
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. tear — from crying
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. row — to paddle

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