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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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. land — ground
  4. board — to get on
  5. ground — the earth
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. face — part of the head
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bass — low music
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pit — in a race
  13. land — to come down
  14. pit — a hole
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. squash — the sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. board — a committee
  21. face — to confront
  22. bass — the fish
  23. land — a country
  24. ground — a position

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