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: fan · present · current · mark · rush · face · net · lie

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. net — after costs
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. net — for catching
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. face — to confront
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. face — part of the head
  14. present — the time now
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — happening now
  18. net — in sport
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. current — electric
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. current — of water

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