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: bank · track · season · saw · face · fine · charge · lean

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fine — all right
  4. lean — to bend
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — in control
  7. track — a path
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lean — thin
  10. track — a song
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fine — high quality
  13. season — in sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. charge — a price
  17. track — to keep track
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. face — part of the head
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. charge — electricity
  24. season — of the year

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