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 116 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bat — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pound — a weight
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — to get on
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. board — a committee
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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