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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cap — a hat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. drill — army training
  16. face — to confront
  17. drill — a practice
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. suit — to fit
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. tear — to rip

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