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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. race — a contest
  3. fork — in a road
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. can — a tin
  6. pit — a hole
  7. capital — a city
  8. root — of a plant
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. can — to be able to
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. vault — a safe
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — in a race
  16. race — the arms race
  17. root — the cause
  18. plane — a tool
  19. race — humankind
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. capital — money
  23. root — of a word
  24. fork — to eat with

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