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: bank · rule · land · lean · hand · hide · face · can

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. land — ground
  4. hand — help
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. face — to confront
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — a law
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — to come down
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rule — government
  17. face — to point toward
  18. land — a country
  19. lean — thin
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. can — a tin
  23. hand — in cards
  24. can — to be able to

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