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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lie — to recline
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. wake — a trail
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. object — a thing
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. object — to protest
  16. rash — a series
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rash — hasty

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