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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. face — to point toward
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rock — a stone
  12. face — to confront
  13. pound — a weight
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. prune — to trim
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. face — part of the head
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rock — music
  24. arm — part of the body

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