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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wind — moving air
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wind — moving air
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. prune — the fruit

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