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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — goods
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. face — part of the head
  6. wound — an injury
  7. snap — to click
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. face — to confront
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — shares
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. chest — of your body
  20. scale — size or range
  21. chest — a box
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. chest — of your body
  24. fan — a supporter

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