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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. plane — a tool
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bark — to shout
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pass — to spend time
  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