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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. firm — decided
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. snap — to click
  9. net — for catching
  10. firm — steady
  11. net — in sport
  12. lie — to recline
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. track — a song
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. net — after costs
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. track — to keep track
  20. firm — a company
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  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