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 120 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: rash · wave · pop · chip · wound · saw · mine · face

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. face — to point toward
  3. chip — to eat
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. rash — a series
  10. face — part of the head
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. face — to confront
  24. pop — to visit

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