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: wound · fine · face · current · chest · track · mug · deal

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mug — to rob
  4. current — of water
  5. deal — to handle
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wound — an injury
  8. track — a path
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. track — a song
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mug — a cup
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. chest — a box
  16. current — electric
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. face — to confront
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fine — all right
  22. mug — a face
  23. current — happening now
  24. fine — high quality

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