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: plane · pitcher · mine · stick · spell · wax · stand · can

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. spell — magic
  7. can — a tin
  8. spell — letters
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — in geometry

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