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

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. face — part of the head
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. face — to confront
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. deal — to handle
  14. plane — a tool
  15. spring — of water
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spring — a coil
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chest — of your body
  21. face — to point toward
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. spring — the season

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