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 116 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: wax · object · stand · wave · pitch · cell · craft · plane

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. plane — a tool
  9. object — to protest
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cell — a phone
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cell — in biology
  15. object — a thing
  16. wax — to grow
  17. object — an aim
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. craft — a handicraft

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