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: saw · plane · fan · club · net · spell · lie · pass

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. net — for catching
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pass — a permit
  7. club — for dancing
  8. spell — letters
  9. saw — the tool
  10. spell — magic
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. lie — to recline
  14. net — in sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. net — after costs
  17. club — for golf
  18. saw — the tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. club — a group
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pass — to spend time

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