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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. face — to point toward
  5. drill — army training
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — completely
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. present — there
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. sharp — clever
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — to fit
  17. present — the time now
  18. drill — the tool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. drill — a practice
  23. wake — a trail
  24. sharp — exactly

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