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: can · roll · plane · hide · face · branch · bound · capital

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. face — to point toward
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bound — certain
  8. can — a tin
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. capital — money
  13. can — to be able to
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. branch — a division
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. face — to confront
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. face — part of the head
  21. roll — a list
  22. capital — a city
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. can — a tin

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