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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fall — the season
  4. face — to confront
  5. season — in sport
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rest — a break
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fall — to drop
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fall — to drop
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. face — to point toward
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pitch — completely
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. season — of the year
  24. pitch — a sports field

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