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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — an aim
  3. face — part of the head
  4. ground — crushed
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — the fruit
  7. face — to confront
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ground — the earth
  13. stock — shares
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ground — a position
  17. object — to protest
  18. stock — goods
  19. bound — obliged
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. object — a thing
  24. face — to point toward

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