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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · march · key · plane · mug · date

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. march — the month
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mug — to rob
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mug — a cup
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mug — a face
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. key — in music
  18. stand — to bear

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