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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lean — thin
  5. spell — letters
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lean — to bend
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. band — a ring
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — a short time
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. drill — the tool
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. sharp — clever

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