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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. tear — from crying
  7. face — to confront
  8. wound — an injury
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. face — part of the head
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. row — a line
  19. plane — a tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. row — to paddle
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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