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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pit — a hole
  3. face — to confront
  4. toast — bread
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — in a race
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. board — a committee
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bore — to tire
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — a thing
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. object — to protest
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. object — an aim

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