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: temple · plane · spell · face · stem · mouse · craft · game

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. spell — letters
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stem — to come from
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. plane — a tool
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. face — part of the head
  20. spell — a short time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spell — magic
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. temple — a place of worship

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