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: scale · temple · mark · face · root · cabinet · spring · chest

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. root — the cause
  3. spring — a coil
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mark — a grade
  7. face — to point toward
  8. chest — of your body
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. chest — a box
  11. face — to confront
  12. chest — of your body
  13. spring — the season
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. root — of a word
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. root — of a plant
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. spring — of water
  24. mark — to pay attention

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