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: bore · wound · face · plane · bass · bay · cap · kick

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. face — part of the head
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cap — a hat
  7. kick — in football
  8. bass — the fish
  9. face — to confront
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. face — to point toward
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bore — to tire
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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