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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. firm — decided
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. snap — to click
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. last — to go on
  8. rest — a break
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. last — final
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. last — finally
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lie — to recline

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