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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. tear — from crying
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cold — an illness
  8. tear — to rip
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ground — the earth
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ground — a position
  16. cold — not warm
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mouse — the animal

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