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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mate — to breed
  4. last — finally
  5. last — final
  6. bank — of a river
  7. last — to go on
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mate — a partner
  10. hand — in cards
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mate — a friend
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bank — for money
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. hand — help
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. chest — of your body
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. chest — a box

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