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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lean — to bend
  8. face — to confront
  9. tear — to rip
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lean — thin
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. content — the amount
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. content — happy
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a dish

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