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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. content — the amount
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chair — a leader
  6. court — for sport
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. race — a contest
  9. content — happy
  10. club — for golf
  11. race — humankind
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. face — to confront
  18. club — a group
  19. face — to point toward
  20. race — the arms race
  21. court — of law
  22. club — for dancing
  23. court — of a king
  24. face — part of the head

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