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: stick · lash · plane · lie · cold · track · fork · mark

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cold — not warm
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cold — an illness
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. track — a path
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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