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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. club — for dancing
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cap — of ice
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. cap — a hat
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — a lid
  14. club — a group
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. content — the amount
  23. content — happy
  24. bat — the animal

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