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 116 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. face — part of the head
  4. craft — boats
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. face — to point toward
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. land — ground
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lean — to rest against
  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