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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fall — the season
  5. object — a thing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. face — part of the head
  9. chip — to eat
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chest — a box
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. shower — rain
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. object — an aim
  16. face — to confront
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — to wash
  19. fall — to drop
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — to point toward
  24. chest — of your body

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