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: stand · snap · date · plane · game · kick · leaves · fine

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. game — wild animals
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. fine — all right
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stand — to bear
  19. date — the fruit
  20. game — a match
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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