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 120 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: deal · face · bay · lash · leaves · club · root · snap

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. club — a group
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. club — for dancing
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. root — of a plant
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. root — the cause
  13. snap — to click
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. club — for golf
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. face — to confront
  21. root — of a word
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. deal — to handle
  24. face — to point toward

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