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 120 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: ball · plane · coach · fan · mark · stand · rock · season

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. season — of the year
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mark — a trace
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rock — a stone

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