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 · suit · pop · trunk · sharp · staff · drill · rash

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. staff — employees
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. drill — a practice
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pop — to visit
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pop — soda
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. drill — army training
  16. sharp — clever
  17. suit — in cards
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pop — music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. staff — employees
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. drill — the tool
  24. sharp — exactly

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