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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. mate — a friend
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. board — to get on
  8. mate — to breed
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. board — a committee
  12. net — after costs
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mate — a partner
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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