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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. face — to confront
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rest — what's left
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a match
  11. mug — to rob
  12. face — to point toward
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. face — part of the head
  16. season — in sport
  17. mug — a face
  18. rest — what's left
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rest — a break
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bulb — of a plant

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