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 120 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: plane · wound · pass · craft · row · tear · charge · staff

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. tear — to rip
  4. plane — a tool
  5. row — a line
  6. pass — a permit
  7. staff — employees
  8. row — to paddle
  9. craft — a skill
  10. charge — a price
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wound — an injury
  15. staff — a stick
  16. charge — in control
  17. staff — employees
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. charge — electricity
  24. tear — from crying

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