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: stem · snap · face · board · bound · plane · ball · current

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. snap — to click
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — happening now
  5. face — part of the head
  6. board — to get on
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stem — to come from
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. current — of water
  18. ball — a dance
  19. current — electric
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bound — obliged
  24. plane — a tool

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