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: rest · safe · face · suit · firm · spell · rock · capital

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. firm — steady
  3. face — to confront
  4. spell — magic
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. capital — money
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to point toward
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. spell — a short time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. capital — a city
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. suit — clothes

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