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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. face — to confront
  5. root — the cause
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. row — a line
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. land — a country
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — there
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. land — to come down
  14. present — the time now
  15. root — of a plant
  16. face — part of the head
  17. row — to paddle
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. present — a gift
  21. land — ground
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. root — of a word
  24. scale — in music

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