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: leaves · bowl · firm · ground · lie · row · face · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. row — to paddle
  3. key — in music
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. firm — decided
  9. face — to confront
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — a position
  15. face — to point toward
  16. row — a line
  17. lie — to recline
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. face — part of the head

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