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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · face · plane · dip · chest · hand · track · hide

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. face — part of the head
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. face — to confront
  9. chest — of your body
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. dip — to sink
  13. can — a tin
  14. hand — help
  15. can — to be able to
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. chest — of your body
  18. track — a song
  19. face — to point toward
  20. chest — a box
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hand — in cards
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. track — to keep track

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