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 120 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: fork · stand · bat · craft · bore · face · bear · plane

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. face — part of the head
  4. craft — boats
  5. face — to confront
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. stand — for spectators

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