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: march · face · shower · safe · branch · swing · scale · mark

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. shower — rain
  3. scale — in music
  4. march — the month
  5. scale — size or range
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. march — the month
  12. branch — a division
  13. shower — to wash
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. mark — a grade
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. march — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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