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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. face — to confront
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. cold — an illness
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. mate — to breed
  13. fine — all right
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cold — not warm
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. fine — high quality
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a word
  22. face — part of the head
  23. deal — to handle
  24. vault — a safe

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