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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. last — final
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. plane — a tool
  6. track — a path
  7. last — to go on
  8. stand — to bear
  9. face — to confront
  10. clip — a video
  11. bulb — for light
  12. can — to be able to
  13. track — a song
  14. bulb — for light
  15. can — a tin
  16. last — finally
  17. face — part of the head
  18. clip — for paper
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — to keep track
  24. clip — to cut

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