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: sharp · pop · spell · face · bound · tube · nail · current

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. tube — a container
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. pop — music
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bound — tied together
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. current — electric
  14. tube — the underground
  15. current — happening now
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. bound — obliged
  21. spell — letters
  22. current — of water
  23. bound — certain
  24. nail — for a hammer

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