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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. plane — a tool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. ground — the earth
  17. land — to come down
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wax — to grow
  20. ground — a position
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — crushed
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. season — to add flavour

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