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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. plane — a tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a music group
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bass — low music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. band — a ring
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fall — the season
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lean — thin
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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