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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. net — for catching
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. capital — money
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. capital — a city
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. plane — an aircraft

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