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 120 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. net — in sport
  3. face — to confront
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — government
  6. fine — high quality
  7. net — for catching
  8. face — to point toward
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. band — a ring
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. perch — the fish
  15. net — after costs
  16. rule — a law
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. ball — a great time
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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