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: plane · fine · suit · ground · tear · present · band · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. suit — clothes
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fine — high quality
  6. plane — a tool
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ground — a position
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. tear — from crying
  12. band — a ring
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ground — the earth
  17. snap — to click
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ground — crushed
  21. fine — all right
  22. present — the time now
  23. tear — to rip
  24. band — a music group

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