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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · staff · bear · swing · plane · race

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. race — humankind
  4. staff — employees
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bear — the animal
  14. staff — a stick
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. staff — employees
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. race — a contest

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