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: roll · plane · fine · squash · club · leaves · stick · press

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. club — a group
  4. plane — a tool
  5. club — for dancing
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. press — a publisher
  9. squash — to crush
  10. roll — a cake
  11. club — for golf
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. squash — the sport
  15. press — to push
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. press — newspapers
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fine — all right
  21. roll — a list
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. fine — high quality

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