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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. chip — to eat
  3. face — part of the head
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. field — a subject
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. lean — to bend
  11. field — for sport
  12. chip — for betting
  13. roll — a list
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rock — music
  16. face — to point toward
  17. field — farmland
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. face — to confront
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lean — thin
  24. rock — to move gently

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