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: rash · club · sharp · bay · coach · cue · firm · plane

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. club — a group
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. sharp — clever
  7. firm — decided
  8. club — for dancing
  9. firm — a company
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — steady
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. club — for golf
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rash — a series
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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