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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. face — part of the head
  3. ball — a dance
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pop — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. present — there
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — soda
  13. present — a gift
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. branch — a division
  17. rock — music
  18. kid — child
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. kid — to tease
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. face — to confront
  24. branch — of a bank

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