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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. spring — a coil
  6. spring — the season
  7. face — to confront
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. roll — a list
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. face — part of the head
  16. roll — a cake
  17. spring — of water
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitch — completely
  20. face — to point toward
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mug — a face
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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