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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. current — electric
  3. chest — a box
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. chest — of your body
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. current — of water
  21. mug — a face
  22. current — happening now
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. branch — a division

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