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: content · lie · cabinet · wave · deal · mine · board · face

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. deal — to handle
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. board — a committee
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. face — part of the head
  8. content — happy
  9. board — to get on
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. face — to confront
  12. content — the amount
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mine — for digging
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. lie — to recline
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mine — belonging to me

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