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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. face — to confront
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. staff — employees
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pit — a hole
  12. staff — a stick
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bat — the animal
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pitch — completely
  19. staff — employees
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. toast — bread

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