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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — a committee
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bound — certain
  7. spell — magic
  8. bound — tied together
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — to get on
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. content — the amount
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bound — obliged
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. content — happy
  22. plane — a tool
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. content — videos and posts

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