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 116 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 · plane · leaves · squash · game · kid · content · net

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. game — wild animals
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. net — in sport
  6. cap — a lid
  7. squash — the sport
  8. content — happy
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cap — of ice
  13. content — the amount
  14. kid — child
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. cap — a hat
  20. kid — to tease
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. game — a match

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