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: object · wound · staff · face · rock · fall · fine · mine

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — all right
  8. fall — to drop
  9. face — to point toward
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. object — an aim
  18. fall — the season
  19. fine — high quality
  20. face — part of the head
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. face — to confront
  24. staff — employees

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