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 116 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: field · board · racket · plane · kick · face · bank · lash

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. field — a subject
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bank — of a river
  5. face — to confront
  6. kick — in football
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bank — for money
  11. field — for sport
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bank — for money
  17. board — to get on
  18. field — farmland
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. face — to point toward
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. board — a flat piece

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