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: field · bass · rock · face · mouse · wind · safe · wake

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. face — to point toward
  4. field — farmland
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. field — for sport
  8. bass — the fish
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. rock — music
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. face — to confront
  21. field — a subject
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. safe — out of danger

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