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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. track — to keep track
  6. row — a line
  7. track — a song
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. object — a thing
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lie — to recline
  13. face — to confront
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stem — to come from
  17. object — to protest
  18. track — a path
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. object — an aim
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. face — part of the head
  24. row — to paddle

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