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: can · plane · net · kick · race · trunk · coach · capital

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. can — a tin
  3. race — a contest
  4. net — after costs
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. can — a tin
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. capital — money
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. race — humankind
  15. capital — a city
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. can — to be able to
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. net — for catching
  21. race — the arms race
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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