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: plane · chest · bay · face · current · shower · cabinet · vault

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. face — to point toward
  3. plane — a tool
  4. shower — to wash
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. current — happening now
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. current — of water
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. current — electric
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chest — of your body
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. vault — a safe

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