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: present · date · pop · lie · face · patient · fine · roll

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. face — part of the head
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. face — to point toward
  5. roll — a cake
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — there
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. present — the time now
  13. date — the fruit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pop — to visit
  16. present — a gift
  17. pop — music
  18. face — to confront
  19. pop — soda
  20. fine — all right
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. roll — a list
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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