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 116 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: fan · stand · plane · bowl · stem · pass · club · row

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stand — to bear
  13. club — a group
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. row — a line
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. club — for golf
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. row — to paddle

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