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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. content — happy
  6. face — to confront
  7. scale — in music
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stand — to bear
  10. board — to get on
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. board — a committee
  13. scale — size or range
  14. face — to point toward
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. face — part of the head
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. content — the amount
  24. stand — for spectators

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