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 · lie · pop · cell · ruler · stock · mug · chest

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cell — in biology
  3. chest — a box
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mug — a face
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pop — soda
  13. cell — a phone
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. face — to confront
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pop — music
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. face — to point toward

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