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: ball · fan · wound · plane · toast · squash · bank · pop

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bank — for money
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — music
  7. squash — the sport
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ball — a great time
  10. toast — bread
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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