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 · wax · temple · chair · row · board · lean · arm

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. row — a line
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. row — to paddle
  11. face — to confront
  12. chair — a leader
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. lean — to bend
  17. face — part of the head
  18. wax — to grow
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a committee
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lean — thin
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. row — a quarrel

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