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: kick · bank · file · pass · roll · cap · plane · toast

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bank — of a river
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. file — a tool
  6. cap — of ice
  7. file — a line of people
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bank — for money
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cap — a lid
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. file — a document
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cap — a hat

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