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: rock · sharp · net · fan · game · suit · plane · march

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rock — a stone
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. rock — music
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. game — wild animals
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. suit — in cards
  13. march — the month
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. net — after costs
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. plane — a tool
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. game — a match

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