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: plane · face · lean · bass · sharp · game · cabinet · lie

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. face — to point toward
  6. game — a match
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. lie — to recline
  9. face — part of the head
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. face — to confront
  13. lean — thin
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lean — to bend
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bass — low music
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. lean — to rest against

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