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: wind · saw · face · dip · ball · staff · pit · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. saw — the tool
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wind — moving air
  5. cell — a phone
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. face — to confront
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. face — to point toward
  11. saw — the tool
  12. staff — a stick
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. staff — employees
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. face — part of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — to dunk

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