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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pop — to visit
  3. face — part of the head
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. race — humankind
  7. face — to point toward
  8. scale — in music
  9. pop — soda
  10. race — the arms race
  11. tube — a container
  12. race — a contest
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spring — of water
  15. tube — the underground
  16. spring — a coil
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. spring — the season
  21. pop — music
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. face — to confront

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