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: spring · temple · plane · snap · staff · content · tear · board

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. tear — from crying
  3. plane — a tool
  4. content — the amount
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. staff — a stick
  9. spring — of water
  10. staff — employees
  11. tear — from crying
  12. spring — a coil
  13. staff — employees
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. spring — the season
  20. snap — to click
  21. board — a committee
  22. content — happy
  23. tear — to rip
  24. board — to get on

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