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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. firm — decided
  3. roll — a cake
  4. face — part of the head
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. squash — to crush
  9. face — to point toward
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. firm — a company
  14. cell — in biology
  15. roll — a list
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. root — the cause
  18. face — to confront
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. root — of a word
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. firm — steady
  23. vault — a safe
  24. root — of a plant

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