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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rock — a stone
  3. club — for golf
  4. content — the amount
  5. face — to point toward
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. face — to confront
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — a thing
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. race — humankind
  14. club — for dancing
  15. race — a contest
  16. club — a group
  17. content — happy
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. race — the arms race
  20. rock — music
  21. saw — the tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — part of the head
  24. object — to protest

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