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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. squash — to crush
  3. tube — a container
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. shower — to wash
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mug — a cup
  19. deal — to handle
  20. shower — rain
  21. tube — the underground
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. mug — a face

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