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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — magic
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. swing — music
  7. pound — a weight
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — the cause
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. swing — in golf
  12. spell — letters
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. root — of a plant
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lean — thin
  24. swing — to play on

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