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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hand — help
  4. tube — a container
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. game — wild animals
  12. track — a song
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pop — soda
  15. tube — the underground
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — a match
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wax — to grow
  23. hand — in cards
  24. track — a path

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