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 116 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: plane · lash · drill · wake · calf · fan · face · wound

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. face — to point toward
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wake — a trail
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. drill — army training
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. face — to confront
  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