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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cap — a hat
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. capital — money
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mark — a trace
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. plane — in geometry

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