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 116 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 · tear · track · ground · rash · stand · nail · tube

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tube — a container
  7. ground — the earth
  8. track — a path
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — to confront
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. track — a song
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ground — a position
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rash — hasty

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