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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. charge — a price
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. charge — electricity
  6. face — part of the head
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stock — goods
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mug — a face
  12. face — to confront
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stock — shares
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. foot — a measure
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. charge — in control
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mug — a cup

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