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: net · toast · plane · stand · temple · face · hide · kick

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. face — to confront
  5. kick — in football
  6. net — after costs
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stand — to bear
  12. net — in sport
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. toast — bread
  18. net — for catching
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. face — part of the head

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