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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. degree — an amount
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. degree — from a university
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. plane — a tool
  11. branch — a division
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pop — music
  22. drill — army training
  23. rock — music
  24. degree — temperature

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