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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. suit — to fit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wake — a trail
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pitcher — a jug

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