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: saw · lie · mate · stick · pitcher · leaves · plane · land

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — a tool
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mate — a partner
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mate — a friend
  10. saw — the tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. land — to come down
  16. lie — to recline
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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