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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. face — to confront
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. craft — boats
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cue — a signal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. present — there
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cue — for pool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. ball — a dance
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. tear — to rip
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cue — a hint
  23. tear — from crying
  24. present — the time now

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