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: toast · board · chest · wave · pitch · plane · lash · saw

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. toast — bread
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. chest — of your body
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chest — a box
  23. saw — the tool
  24. board — a committee

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