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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. saw — the tool
  4. file — a document
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. file — a line of people
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. face — to confront
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chair — a leader
  15. face — to point toward
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fine — high quality
  23. file — a tool
  24. fine — all right

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