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 116 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: pitch · lean · drill · rock · wind · wave · bass · face

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. drill — army training
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. wind — moving air
  9. rock — a stone
  10. drill — the tool
  11. lean — thin
  12. bass — the fish
  13. drill — a practice
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bass — low music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. face — to confront

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