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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bound — tied together
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stock — goods
  19. snap — to click
  20. stock — shares
  21. face — to confront
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lean — to rest against

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