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: ground · rock · mark · rash · bass · kick · face · stand

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rock — music
  5. rash — hasty
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. face — to confront
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rash — a series
  15. kick — in football
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ground — a position
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bass — low music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bass — the fish

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