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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — the underground
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. tube — a container
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. saw — the tool

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