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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — a lid
  5. plane — a tool
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. club — a group
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. club — for golf
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. cap — a hat
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a city
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stem — to come from
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. club — for dancing

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