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 120 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: land · plane · prune · charge · bear · calf · race · spell

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. land — a country
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. race — a contest
  10. spell — magic
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — a tool
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bear — the animal
  17. land — ground
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. prune — to trim
  20. race — humankind
  21. spell — letters
  22. charge — in control
  23. land — to come down
  24. race — the arms race

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