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: wave · date · lash · fork · plane · swing · charge · stock

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. date — the fruit
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. swing — in golf
  6. stock — goods
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. charge — in control
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. swing — to play on
  11. charge — a price
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. swing — music
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fork — in a road

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