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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. pit — a fruit stone
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. march — the month
  5. face — to confront
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. track — a song
  12. capital — a city
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. face — to point toward
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. track — a path
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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