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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. march — music
  3. season — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. craft — boats
  6. march — the month
  7. season — of the year
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. kick — in football
  11. net — in sport
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stock — goods
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cap — a lid
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cap — a hat
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stock — shares
  21. net — for catching
  22. march — the month
  23. cap — of ice
  24. kick — a thrill

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