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: lash · face · bulb · branch · arm · race · plane · vault

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. branch — a division
  7. face — to point toward
  8. plane — a tool
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. face — part of the head
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. face — to confront
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. arm — part of the body

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