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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. present — a gift
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — of a river
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bark — to shout
  8. firm — decided
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. firm — steady
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. present — the time now
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. plane — a tool
  23. present — there
  24. bark — of a tree

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