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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — to keep track
  4. face — to point toward
  5. ground — crushed
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. face — to confront
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wake — a trail
  15. track — a path
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rule — government
  19. charge — in control
  20. ground — a position
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. track — a song
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — a law

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