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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. lie — to recline
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. march — music
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a city
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. face — to confront
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — a tool
  13. staff — a stick
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. face — part of the head
  16. staff — employees
  17. face — to point toward
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. racket — for tennis

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