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: wind · plane · wake · lash · charge · date · arm · leaves

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. charge — in control
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. date — the fruit
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wind — moving air

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