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 · safe · rule · board · chest · shower · pitcher · mark

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rule — government
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. chest — a box
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mark — a trace
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rule — a law
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. board — a committee
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. shower — rain
  24. mark — a grade

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