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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. can — to be able to
  3. face — to confront
  4. clip — a video
  5. can — a tin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — employees
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. staff — a stick
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mug — a cup
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. clip — for paper
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — to cut
  19. mug — to rob
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mug — a face
  22. face — part of the head
  23. snap — to click
  24. staff — employees

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