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: fall · rash · rush · deal · face · pit · dip · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. deal — to handle
  4. face — part of the head
  5. fall — the season
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rush — hurry
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. rash — a series
  10. fall — to drop
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. face — to confront
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a hole
  20. dip — to sink
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rash — on the skin

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