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: kid · roll · last · can · chip · plane · leaves · bass

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. chip — for betting
  7. last — final
  8. bass — low music
  9. roll — a cake
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. can — a tin
  15. last — finally
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. roll — a list
  23. plane — a tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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