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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. court — of a king
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. face — to confront
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. court — for sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. court — of law
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. season — in sport
  23. pass — a permit
  24. face — part of the head

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