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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cell — a phone
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. cell — in biology
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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