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: stand · current · snap · spell · bear · bay · plane · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rash — a series
  8. current — electric
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — a tool
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. current — happening now
  16. spell — magic
  17. bear — the animal
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. current — of water
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. snap — to click
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bear — the animal

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