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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ball — a great time
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wake — a trail
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — a position
  12. spring — of water
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ground — crushed
  20. spring — a coil
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. spring — the season

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