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: nail · mouse · squash · foot · face · bat · plane · pitcher

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. face — to confront
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. squash — the sport
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. face — part of the head
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. face — to point toward

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