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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mark — a trace
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. degree — from a university
  13. mark — a grade
  14. drill — army training
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. drill — a practice
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — an amount
  24. chair — a professorship

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