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

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. march — the month
  4. field — farmland
  5. bore — to drill
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. march — the month
  8. face — to confront
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — a subject
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. face — part of the head
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bore — to tire
  17. march — music
  18. dip — to sink

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