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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stand — to bear
  5. capital — a city
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. chip — for betting
  8. snap — to click
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bound — obliged
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bound — tied together
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. plane — a tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bound — certain
  24. plane — an aircraft

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