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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bark — to shout
  5. club — for golf
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. present — a gift
  10. club — a group
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. club — for dancing

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