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: temple · face · hand · nail · toast · vault · content · plane

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. toast — bread
  3. hand — help
  4. content — the amount
  5. hand — in cards
  6. content — happy
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. plane — a tool
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. face — to confront
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. face — part of the head
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. plane — in geometry

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