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: cap · chair · plane · trunk · mark · race · march · leaves

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. plane — a tool
  4. race — a contest
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. race — the arms race
  9. mark — a grade
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cap — a hat
  23. race — humankind
  24. march — the month

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