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: kick · dip · squash · capital · sharp · face · stand · plane

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. plane — a tool
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. face — to point toward
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stand — to bear
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. sharp — clever
  13. dip — to sink
  14. capital — a city
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. kick — in football
  17. squash — to crush
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. capital — money
  21. squash — the sport
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. face — part of the head
  24. stand — on your feet

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