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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. hand — help
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — to confront
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. date — the fruit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pit — a hole
  20. hand — in cards
  21. rock — music
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cell — in biology
  24. ruler — a monarch

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