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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. cell — a phone
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. row — a line
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cell — in biology
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wound — an injury
  20. suit — in cards
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. face — to confront

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