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 · row · bowl · mark · temple · wave · object · key

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. face — to point toward
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — in music
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mark — a grade
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. row — to paddle
  18. face — to confront
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. face — part of the head
  21. row — a line
  22. mark — a trace
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. object — to protest

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