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: bowl · sharp · nail · tube · pop · mouse · plane · face

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. face — to point toward
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. plane — a tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pop — to visit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tube — a container
  18. face — to confront
  19. pop — music
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pop — soda
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. nail — for a hammer

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