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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. last — finally
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bank — for money
  5. face — to confront
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. last — to go on
  8. snap — to click
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. last — final
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bank — of a river
  20. lie — to recline
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. ground — the earth
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. fine — high quality

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