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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. net — for catching
  3. face — part of the head
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bass — low music
  7. face — to confront
  8. board — a committee
  9. net — in sport
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. face — to point toward
  19. net — after costs
  20. board — to get on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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