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: face · hide · stand · mine · rush · wave · craft · fall

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. face — to confront
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. fall — the season
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fall — to drop
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. craft — boats

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