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 116 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. shower — rain
  3. mark — a trace
  4. field — a subject
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. field — farmland
  7. vault — a safe
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. field — for sport
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. face — part of the head
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. safe — a strongbox

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