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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bound — obliged
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. face — part of the head
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bound — certain
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — bread
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fine — all right
  18. drill — army training
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. drill — the tool
  21. wound — an injury
  22. face — to point toward
  23. date — the fruit
  24. drill — a practice

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