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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. plane — a tool
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. row — to paddle
  8. land — to come down
  9. craft — boats
  10. row — a line
  11. can — to be able to
  12. prune — to trim
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. craft — a skill
  18. drill — a practice
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. land — a country
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — ground

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