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: wax · sharp · rock · track · kid · leaves · net · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. net — after costs
  5. rock — music
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. net — for catching
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. net — in sport
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. track — a path
  15. wax — to grow
  16. kid — to tease
  17. rock — a stone
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. kid — child
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. sharp — clever

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