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: chair · stick · jam · file · bay · date · ground · plane

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. ground — the earth
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. file — a line of people
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. file — a tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. date — the fruit
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. chair — a leader
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. file — a document
  19. ground — a position
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. plane — a tool
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ground — crushed
  24. chair — a professorship

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