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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pass — a permit
  10. saw — the tool
  11. plane — a tool
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. present — there
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bay — a horse colour

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