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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bark — to shout
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. face — to confront
  7. prune — to trim
  8. drill — the tool
  9. face — to point toward
  10. hand — in cards
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. can — a tin
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. can — a tin
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. drill — army training
  18. hand — help
  19. prune — to trim
  20. plane — a tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. can — to be able to
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. mug — a cup

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