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 116 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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. branch — a division
  11. face — to confront
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — part of the head
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. face — to point toward
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. board — a committee
  22. cap — of ice
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. plane — a tool

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