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: ball · face · scale · wake · mine · charge · plane · stand

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. plane — a tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ball — a great time
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wake — a trail
  14. face — part of the head
  15. scale — size or range
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. charge — a price
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. scale — in music
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stand — on your feet

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