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: rush · cap · season · mine · bear · rule · vault · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rule — government
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. season — of the year
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rule — a law
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. season — in sport
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cap — of ice
  24. season — to add flavour

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