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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stock — shares
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cell — a phone
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. face — part of the head
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cell — in biology
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stock — goods
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. club — a group
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. face — to confront
  21. plane — a tool
  22. club — for golf
  23. wake — a trail
  24. plane — an aircraft

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