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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. row — to paddle
  3. band — a ring
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — of a river
  7. drill — the tool
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. row — a line
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. band — a music group
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bank — for money
  14. face — to confront
  15. bank — for money
  16. cold — an illness
  17. drill — army training
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cold — not warm
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. face — part of the head
  24. drill — a practice

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