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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. ground — the earth
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. face — to confront
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. ground — a position
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. clip — for paper
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rock — music
  20. clip — to cut
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rock — a stone
  24. clip — a video

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