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: game · plane · fall · rash · firm · lean · can · wave

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. firm — steady
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rash — a series
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. game — wild animals
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fall — the season
  16. firm — decided
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. game — a match
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — a company
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. can — a tin

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