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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — of a river
  6. key — the most important part
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — a division
  10. bank — for money
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — a break
  20. dip — to sink
  21. key — in music
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cell — a phone
  24. face — part of the head

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