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 120 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: squash · vault · cabinet · pop · stand · plane · chest · root

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. chest — a box
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stand — to bear
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pop — to visit
  11. squash — to crush
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pop — soda
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pop — music

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