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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mate — a partner
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. march — the month
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. march — the month
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. march — music
  17. perch — the fish
  18. face — part of the head
  19. craft — a skill
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. craft — boats
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. face — to confront

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