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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. mug — to rob
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pitch — completely
  5. face — part of the head
  6. key — for a lock
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. staff — employees
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. staff — a stick
  11. face — to point toward
  12. staff — employees
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. spring — a coil
  18. suit — clothes
  19. key — in music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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