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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. face — to confront
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. season — in sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — in a race
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wind — moving air
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — of the year
  24. face — to point toward

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