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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. scale — size or range
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mine — for digging
  7. scale — in music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. face — to confront
  11. mate — a friend
  12. cell — in biology
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. plane — a tool
  17. face — to point toward
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mate — to breed
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cell — a phone
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mine — belonging to me

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