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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pitch — completely
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. swing — music
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. snap — to click
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mug — a face
  17. pass — a permit
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mug — to rob
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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