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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bound — certain
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pop — soda
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bound — obliged
  11. field — a subject
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. field — for sport
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. capital — money
  19. field — farmland
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. capital — a city
  24. press — a publisher

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