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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cap — a hat
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cap — a lid
  6. face — part of the head
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mug — a face
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. tube — a container
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. stem — to come from
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. face — to confront

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