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: track · rule · bound · season · object · face · rock · saw

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — the tool
  4. season — in sport
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. object — a thing
  9. bound — obliged
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. face — to confront
  14. rock — music
  15. bound — certain
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. track — a path
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. face — to point toward
  22. saw — the tool
  23. season — of the year
  24. bound — tied together

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