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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. season — in sport
  6. face — part of the head
  7. content — happy
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pit — in a race
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. content — the amount
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. season — of the year
  19. face — to confront
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — a hole

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