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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. face — to point toward
  11. chip — for betting
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. face — to confront
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. face — part of the head
  16. bear — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. chip — to eat
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. leaves — lets stay

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