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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. face — to confront
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bound — obliged
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. face — part of the head
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bound — certain
  15. plane — a tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — completely
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to click
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. lash — an eyelash

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