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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — a city
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pound — a weight
  9. race — the arms race
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. race — humankind
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. race — a contest
  15. face — to confront
  16. lean — thin
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. capital — money
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. temple — a place of worship

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