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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. wake — a trail
  4. spring — the season
  5. face — to confront
  6. band — a ring
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — music
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. face — to point toward
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. spring — a coil
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. spring — of water
  17. band — a music group
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. face — part of the head

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