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 120 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fine — all right
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. court — of law
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wake — a trail
  13. court — of a king
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stand — to bear
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. court — for sport
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. face — to confront
  24. cap — of ice

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