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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — a short time
  4. face — to point toward
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. face — to confront
  7. plane — a tool
  8. firm — decided
  9. face — part of the head
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spell — letters
  19. firm — a company
  20. cap — of ice
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. spell — magic
  24. spring — the season

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