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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. firm — decided
  3. fine — all right
  4. root — the cause
  5. row — a line
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. face — part of the head
  9. firm — steady
  10. scale — in music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. row — to paddle
  15. face — to confront
  16. scale — size or range
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. root — of a word
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. firm — a company
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. deal — to handle
  24. fine — high quality

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