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: racket · foot · lie · board · cell · wound · plane · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. board — a committee
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. plane — a tool
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. foot — a measure
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cell — a phone
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cell — in biology
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. racket — for tennis

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