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: fine · plane · rock · snap · racket · mine · face · cue

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rock — music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. fine — all right
  6. snap — to click
  7. cue — a signal
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rock — a stone
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. face — to confront
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. face — to point toward
  23. cue — for pool
  24. face — part of the head

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