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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. spell — letters
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. face — part of the head
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rash — a series
  10. spell — magic
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. staff — a stick
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. face — to confront
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rash — hasty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. present — a gift
  19. spell — a short time
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — there
  22. staff — employees
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. present — the time now

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