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 · dip · cue · temple · fall · saw · wake · present

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cue — a signal
  6. present — a gift
  7. cue — for pool
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fall — the season
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. fall — to drop
  20. present — there
  21. saw — the tool
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fall — to drop
  24. present — the time now

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