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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stock — goods
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mug — to rob
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. board — a committee
  11. tear — from crying
  12. stock — shares
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mug — a face
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. tear — to rip
  24. board — to get on

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