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: net · capital · plane · current · wax · bore · face · pass

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. current — happening now
  3. capital — money
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. net — after costs
  12. plane — a tool
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. bore — to drill
  16. net — for catching
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. net — in sport
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. face — to point toward
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. capital — a city
  24. bore — to tire

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