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: trunk · cap · fan · plane · mate · shower · press · hand

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. shower — rain
  4. press — newspapers
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mate — a friend
  7. hand — help
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hand — in cards
  11. cap — of ice
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. cap — a hat
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mate — a partner
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cap — a lid
  24. fan — to cool the air

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