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: plane · pop · cap · present · race · bank · court · leaves

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. court — for sport
  5. pop — soda
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. present — there
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. pop — to visit
  11. race — the arms race
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. race — humankind
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. race — a contest
  19. bank — of a river
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pop — music
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cap — a lid

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