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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wind — moving air
  4. shower — to wash
  5. face — to point toward
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. branch — a division
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. track — a path
  10. roll — a cake
  11. face — part of the head
  12. track — to keep track
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. wind — moving air
  15. track — a song
  16. scale — in music
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. shower — rain
  19. face — to confront
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. roll — a list
  23. scale — size or range
  24. branch — of a tree

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