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: stem · mark · bowl · suit · plane · cabinet · tube · squash

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stem — to come from
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tube — the underground
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — a container
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stem — a stem cell

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