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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. face — to confront
  6. last — to go on
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. net — in sport
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fork — in a road
  15. last — final
  16. face — part of the head
  17. net — after costs
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. net — for catching
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. last — finally
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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