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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. present — a gift
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. wound — an injury
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. face — to point toward
  17. cell — in biology
  18. safe — a strongbox

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