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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. court — for sport
  8. face — part of the head
  9. last — finally
  10. face — to point toward
  11. cap — of ice
  12. firm — a company
  13. cap — a hat
  14. last — final
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. court — of a king
  17. pitch — completely
  18. face — to confront
  19. firm — decided
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. last — to go on
  22. firm — steady
  23. court — of law
  24. coach — a trainer

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