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: bass · hide · present · season · nail · bark · sharp · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bass — the fish
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. present — the time now
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bass — low music
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. season — of the year
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. season — in sport
  21. present — a gift
  22. bark — to shout
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. present — there

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