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: bore · pit · fine · spring · track · face · rule · wake

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rule — government
  5. track — a song
  6. bore — to tire
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fine — all right
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fine — high quality
  13. track — a path
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rule — a law
  16. face — to confront
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. spring — a coil

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