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: deal · face · fan · spring · hand · cell · fine · safe

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. face — to point toward
  3. spring — the season
  4. fine — all right
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — to handle
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. fine — high quality
  12. cell — a phone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — in cards
  16. face — to confront
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. spring — of water
  19. cell — in biology
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. hand — help
  24. spring — a coil

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