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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. swing — music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. shower — to wash
  6. swing — in golf
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. shower — rain
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. saw — the tool
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. face — to confront
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. swing — to play on

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