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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. swing — to play on
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pass — a permit
  11. clip — to cut
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. clip — for paper
  15. swing — in golf
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. swing — music
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fork — in a road
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. clip — a video

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