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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. fine — all right
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. face — part of the head
  6. firm — steady
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mate — a friend
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mark — a trace
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. press — to push
  13. mark — a grade
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mate — a partner
  17. prune — to trim
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mate — to breed
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fine — high quality
  22. chip — for betting
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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