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: chair · face · cabinet · game · wax · nail · vault · plane

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chair — a leader
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. game — wild animals
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — a safe
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. game — a match
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wax — to grow
  23. face — to point toward
  24. chair — to sit on

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