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: face · wind · charge · court · pop · field · stand · safe

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. court — of a king
  4. field — farmland
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. face — to confront
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — a price
  10. court — for sport
  11. pop — to visit
  12. charge — in control
  13. pop — soda
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. field — a subject
  18. pop — music
  19. field — for sport
  20. face — to point toward
  21. court — of law
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. wind — to turn a key

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