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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — a committee
  5. face — to confront
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a dance
  10. face — part of the head
  11. can — a tin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fall — to drop
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fall — to drop
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fall — the season
  24. face — to point toward

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