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 116 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: pitch · wake · craft · plane · trunk · wave · present · fork

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. present — a gift
  11. wake — a trail
  12. craft — boats
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. present — the time now
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. present — there
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wave — of the sea

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