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

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. firm — steady
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bore — to tire
  6. firm — a company
  7. key — for a lock
  8. pitch — completely
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. face — to confront
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. face — to point toward
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. key — in music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — decided
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. face — part of the head

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