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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — a coil
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spring — of water
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. shower — rain
  11. rock — music
  12. ball — a dance
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. face — to confront
  17. bass — low music
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. spring — the season
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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