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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stock — shares
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. face — to confront
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. land — ground
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. stock — goods
  18. rush — hurry

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