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

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — a trace
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. press — a publisher
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. cap — a lid
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. press — to push
  16. mark — a grade
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. cap — a hat
  19. plane — a tool
  20. press — newspapers
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. spring — the season
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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