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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. land — ground
  3. tear — from crying
  4. drill — a practice
  5. face — part of the head
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. drill — army training
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — a country
  10. drill — the tool
  11. land — to come down
  12. tear — from crying
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tear — to rip
  15. suit — clothes
  16. face — to confront
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — to fit

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