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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. face — to point toward
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. face — to confront
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spell — a short time
  15. present — there
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. spell — letters
  18. plane — a tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. season — of the year
  21. face — part of the head
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spell — magic
  24. season — in sport

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