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: mug · cabinet · wake · firm · tube · staff · track · face

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. staff — employees
  3. track — a song
  4. face — part of the head
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. staff — employees
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mug — a cup
  11. tube — a container
  12. mug — to rob
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. tube — the underground
  17. track — to keep track
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. track — a path
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. face — to confront
  23. firm — steady
  24. staff — a stick

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