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: mark · chest · scale · fall · wound · face · hide · plane

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fall — to drop
  3. face — part of the head
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fall — the season
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — a grade
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. chest — of your body
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. chest — of your body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chest — a box
  22. fall — to drop
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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