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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. kick — in football
  5. plane — a tool
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. spell — magic
  12. mate — to breed
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. last — finally
  18. mate — a partner
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. last — final
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. last — to go on
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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