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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. firm — a company
  3. craft — boats
  4. pit — a hole
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. face — to point toward
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rule — a law
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — decided
  17. sharp — clever
  18. face — part of the head
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rule — government
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. firm — steady
  24. nail — for a hammer

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