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

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stem — to come from
  5. cap — of ice
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cap — a hat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pass — a permit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. scale — in music
  24. chip — for betting

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