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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wind — moving air
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wind — moving air
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — in sport
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. root — of a word
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — after costs
  24. kick — in football

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