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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. season — of the year
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. face — to confront
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. face — part of the head
  14. season — in sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pop — soda
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. face — to point toward
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. lie — an untruth

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