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: stand · bay · race · game · ruler · face · wind · bank

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. face — to confront
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — of a river
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. game — wild animals
  17. race — humankind
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wind — moving air
  20. race — a contest
  21. game — a match
  22. face — part of the head
  23. race — the arms race
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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