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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bat — the animal
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. face — to confront
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mug — to rob
  15. toast — bread
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mug — a face
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mug — a cup

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