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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fall — the season
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. craft — boats
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bound — obliged
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — steady
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bound — certain
  14. craft — a skill
  15. firm — decided
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pass — a permit
  23. firm — a company
  24. bound — tied together

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