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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. board — a committee
  4. craft — boats
  5. face — part of the head
  6. board — to get on
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. spell — letters
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. press — newspapers
  11. content — happy
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. press — a publisher
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pound — a weight
  19. press — to push
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. content — the amount
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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