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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stock — goods
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fine — high quality
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. fine — all right
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. stock — shares
  21. plane — a tool
  22. branch — a division
  23. hand — help
  24. mouse — for a computer

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