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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. last — final
  9. face — to confront
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. stock — shares
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. last — finally
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. board — to get on
  19. vault — a safe
  20. stock — goods
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — to tire
  23. last — to go on
  24. bore — to drill

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