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: racket · plane · spring · kid · cabinet · present · season · suit

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. present — the time now
  3. season — of the year
  4. spring — a coil
  5. plane — a tool
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kid — child
  14. present — there
  15. season — in sport
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kid — to tease
  20. present — a gift
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. spring — the season
  24. plane — in geometry

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