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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · deal · face · bay · ruler · object · coach · rash

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. face — to point toward
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. face — part of the head
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. object — a thing
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. object — to protest
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. face — to confront
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — rain
  19. rash — a series
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. shower — to wash
  22. deal — to handle
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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