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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rash — hasty
  4. can — to be able to
  5. suit — clothes
  6. foot — a measure
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — child
  10. file — a tool
  11. rash — a series
  12. file — a document
  13. can — a tin
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. face — to confront
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. can — a tin
  23. file — a line of people
  24. face — part of the head

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