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: kick · wake · toast · race · bowl · plane · hand · wax

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. hand — help
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. kick — in football
  6. hand — in cards
  7. race — a contest
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. race — the arms race
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. toast — bread
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. race — humankind
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. kick — with a leg

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