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: face · lash · lean · plane · perch · fan · pass · vault

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — part of the head
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. perch — the fish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lean — thin
  24. fan — to cool the air

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