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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. spring — the season
  5. sharp — clever
  6. face — to point toward
  7. spring — of water
  8. lie — to recline
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. board — to get on
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. row — a line
  18. board — a committee
  19. march — music
  20. deal — to handle
  21. face — to confront
  22. spring — a coil
  23. board — a flat piece
  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