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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chair — a leader
  5. dip — to sink
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bank — for money
  10. swing — music
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. cell — in biology
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bank — for money
  15. object — to protest
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mine — belonging to me

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