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 · wake · board · wind · sharp · cabinet · chip · perch

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. board — a committee
  3. sharp — clever
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wind — moving air
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. board — to get on
  17. wind — moving air
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. chip — to eat
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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