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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rest — what's left
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. face — to confront
  6. bass — low music
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. snap — to click
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. face — to point toward
  12. rest — a break
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. face — part of the head
  16. rest — what's left
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — the fish
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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