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: bark · pit · tear · lean · cue · present · date · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. present — there
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lean — to bend
  10. present — a gift
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lean — thin
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cue — a signal
  15. present — the time now
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cue — a hint
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pit — in a race
  23. tear — to rip
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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