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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. field — farmland
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. face — to confront
  6. field — a subject
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pop — to visit
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pop — soda
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. face — part of the head
  15. field — for sport
  16. board — a committee
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pop — music
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. board — to get on
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. face — to point toward

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