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: club · plane · wave · rock · rash · mark · row · leaves

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. club — for dancing
  4. mark — a grade
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. club — for golf
  9. mark — a trace
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rash — a series
  13. club — a group
  14. rock — music
  15. row — a line
  16. row — to paddle
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. plane — a tool
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — on the skin

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