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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. wind — moving air
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. clip — for paper
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. clip — a video
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. foot — a measure
  24. plane — in geometry

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