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 124 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wind — moving air
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bass — low music
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bound — certain
  13. last — final
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bound — obliged
  17. charge — electricity
  18. plane — a tool
  19. foot — a measure
  20. charge — a price
  21. lean — thin
  22. last — finally
  23. bass — the fish
  24. plane — an aircraft

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