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: bass · fine · face · cabinet · plane · rule · stand · clip

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. clip — for paper
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. clip — to cut
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rule — government
  10. face — to confront
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rule — a law
  14. face — to point toward
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bass — the fish
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. clip — a video
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bass — low music

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