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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. ground — the earth
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. ground — crushed
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. ground — a position
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — a division
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. face — to point toward
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. face — part of the head
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. face — to confront
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. craft — a skill
  21. chair — a leader
  22. craft — boats
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. wound — an injury

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