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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. current — happening now
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. wake — a trail
  5. vault — a safe
  6. snap — to click
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. face — to confront
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. face — part of the head
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. current — of water
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — an aim
  23. current — electric
  24. object — a thing

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