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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — to point toward
  3. land — ground
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. face — to confront
  6. mate — to breed
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. land — a country
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mate — a friend
  13. firm — decided
  14. mate — a partner
  15. face — part of the head
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. firm — a company
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. firm — steady
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. land — to come down

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