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 · stick · plane · pass · fall · spring · suit · last

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. plane — a tool
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fall — the season
  6. last — final
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. last — finally
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. fall — to drop
  11. spring — of water
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. spring — the season
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rash — a series
  17. fall — to drop
  18. spring — a coil
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. last — to go on
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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