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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. shower — rain
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lean — to bend
  5. last — final
  6. face — to point toward
  7. degree — temperature
  8. season — in sport
  9. face — part of the head
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. last — to go on
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. last — finally
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. face — to confront
  16. degree — from a university
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. shower — to wash
  20. degree — an amount
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. season — of the year
  24. lean — thin

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