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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. face — part of the head
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. fine — all right
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. face — to point toward
  7. row — a line
  8. rule — a law
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rule — government
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — to bear
  17. row — to paddle
  18. plane — a tool
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — high quality
  22. face — to confront
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fine — a penalty

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