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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. object — an aim
  3. shower — to wash
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. face — part of the head
  6. firm — steady
  7. face — to point toward
  8. firm — a company
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. shower — rain
  11. row — a line
  12. face — to confront
  13. object — to protest
  14. row — to paddle
  15. firm — decided
  16. kick — in football
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. object — a thing

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