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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fine — high quality
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spring — of water
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fine — all right
  7. bank — for money
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bank — of a river
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. spring — the season
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. roll — a list
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bank — for money
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. face — to confront
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. face — part of the head
  23. deal — to handle
  24. spring — a coil

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