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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. club — for golf
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. club — a group
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. club — for dancing
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. cap — a hat
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cap — of ice
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wake — before a funeral

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