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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. ground — a position
  5. file — a document
  6. drill — a practice
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — crushed
  10. drill — army training
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lean — thin
  18. file — a tool
  19. lean — to bend
  20. face — to confront
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wind — moving air
  23. face — part of the head
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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