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: race · date · prune · face · chip · stem · plane · key

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. key — in music
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. date — the fruit
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. race — a contest
  11. key — for a lock
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. face — to confront
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. race — humankind
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — the most important part
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. race — the arms race
  24. date — on the calendar

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