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: wake · charge · chest · bear · sharp · vault · face · plane

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bear — the animal
  3. vault — a safe
  4. wake — a trail
  5. plane — a tool
  6. charge — a price
  7. sharp — clever
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. face — part of the head
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. face — to confront
  17. charge — in control
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. chest — a box
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. face — to point toward
  24. charge — electricity

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