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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. degree — an amount
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. face — to confront
  5. pit — a hole
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. game — wild animals
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. game — a match
  12. firm — a company
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. season — in sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. vault — a safe
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — decided
  21. face — part of the head
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — from a university
  24. pit — in a race

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