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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. sharp — clever
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lean — thin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ball — a dance
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rock — a stone
  19. face — to confront
  20. rock — music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. sharp — with an edge

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