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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. perch — the fish
  3. face — to point toward
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. band — a music group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. face — to confront
  12. club — a group
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. club — for golf
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — part of the head
  21. chest — of your body
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a rubber band

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