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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. shower — to wash
  3. face — to confront
  4. ground — a position
  5. face — part of the head
  6. craft — boats
  7. cap — a lid
  8. board — to get on
  9. craft — a skill
  10. shower — rain
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cap — of ice
  13. board — a committee
  14. ground — the earth
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — to bear
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ground — crushed
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. craft — a handicraft

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