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 · bear · coach · dip · club · sharp · snap · wax

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. plane — a tool
  9. dip — to sink
  10. snap — to click
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wax — to grow
  20. club — a group
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. club — for golf

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