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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. track — a song
  3. face — part of the head
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bank — of a river
  6. craft — boats
  7. face — to point toward
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fall — the season
  11. track — a path
  12. bound — certain
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. squash — the sport
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — to crush
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bank — for money
  23. track — to keep track
  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