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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mug — a cup
  3. land — ground
  4. swing — to play on
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. land — a country
  8. mug — a face
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. land — to come down
  12. face — to confront
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mug — to rob
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stand — to bear
  18. swing — music

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