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: firm · mine · plane · rest · club · dip · cap · squash

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rest — a break
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cap — a lid
  5. club — for golf
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cap — a hat
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cap — of ice
  10. firm — decided
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rest — what's left
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. squash — the sport
  19. firm — steady
  20. rest — what's left
  21. club — for dancing
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. squash — to crush
  24. firm — a company

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