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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. race — a contest
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bank — for money
  6. ground — a position
  7. charge — a price
  8. face — to confront
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. ground — the earth
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. charge — in control
  14. bank — for money
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. race — the arms race
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bank — of a river
  19. face — part of the head
  20. race — humankind
  21. spell — letters
  22. charge — electricity
  23. spell — magic
  24. ground — crushed

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