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 120 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: hide · face · plane · coach · bank · patient · lash · firm

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bank — for money
  8. plane — a tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. face — to point toward
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. face — to confront
  20. firm — steady
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bank — for money

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