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 · cabinet · cue · tear · nail · season · perch · pop

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. face — part of the head
  5. tear — to rip
  6. pop — soda
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cue — a hint
  13. face — to confront
  14. season — in sport
  15. pop — music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. perch — the fish
  18. season — of the year
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pop — to visit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cue — a signal
  24. tear — from crying

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