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: plane · snap · face · content · pass · firm · bay · coach

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pass — a permit
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. firm — steady
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. content — the amount
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. content — happy
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. firm — decided
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. face — to confront
  22. firm — a company
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. face — part of the head

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