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

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to point toward
  3. mug — a cup
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rest — a break
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mug — a face
  14. bear — the animal
  15. face — to confront
  16. dip — to sink
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bear — the animal

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