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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ground — the earth
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. wake — a trail
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. shower — rain
  11. fine — all right
  12. lean — thin
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lean — to bend
  17. face — to confront
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. shower — to wash

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