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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fine — all right
  6. rock — music
  7. spring — the season
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rock — a stone
  11. board — to get on
  12. field — for sport
  13. plane — a tool
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fine — high quality
  17. field — farmland
  18. board — a committee
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. band — a ring
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. field — a subject
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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