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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. face — to point toward
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. face — part of the head
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. face — to confront
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. row — to paddle
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. craft — boats
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ruler — for measuring

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