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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. face — to point toward
  3. scale — in music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chest — of your body
  8. face — part of the head
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rest — a break
  15. stock — shares
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. staff — a stick
  18. face — to confront
  19. staff — employees
  20. chest — a box
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — goods
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — an aircraft

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