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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. net — in sport
  3. track — a song
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. track — a path
  14. drill — the tool
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. face — to confront
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. drill — a practice
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. drill — army training

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