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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. root — the cause
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pit — a hole
  8. root — of a word
  9. press — newspapers
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bat — the animal
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. press — to push
  18. key — for a lock
  19. vault — a safe
  20. key — in music
  21. press — a publisher
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kid — child
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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