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 · game · current · rest · stick · staff · mine · deal

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. current — happening now
  3. face — to point toward
  4. game — wild animals
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. deal — to handle
  11. face — to confront
  12. current — electric
  13. staff — a stick
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. staff — employees
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. current — of water
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. face — part of the head
  24. staff — employees

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