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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. face — part of the head
  3. roll — a cake
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. face — to confront
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. roll — a list
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. chip — for betting
  18. face — to point toward
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. chip — to eat
  22. branch — a division
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. straw — a straw man

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