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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. present — a gift
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. club — for golf
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wake — a trail
  9. perch — the fish
  10. present — there
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. present — the time now
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. plane — a tool
  18. wax — to grow
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. snap — to click
  24. bat — the animal

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