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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mate — a partner
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rule — government
  10. mate — a friend
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — to breed
  13. firm — decided
  14. field — a subject
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. spring — the season
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. face — to confront
  19. firm — steady
  20. spring — of water
  21. field — for sport
  22. face — to point toward
  23. rule — a law
  24. face — part of the head

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