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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rock — a stone
  3. saw — the tool
  4. face — to confront
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ground — the earth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ground — crushed
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pit — in a race
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ground — a position
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wound — an injury
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rock — music
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pit — a hole
  24. face — part of the head

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