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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cell — in biology
  4. band — a ring
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. band — a music group
  7. bank — of a river
  8. face — to confront
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bank — for money
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cell — a phone
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. face — part of the head
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. face — to point toward

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