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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. cap — of ice
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cap — a lid
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — a company
  8. face — to confront
  9. cap — a hat
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. face — to point toward
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. firm — steady
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bark — to shout
  22. firm — decided
  23. bore — to drill
  24. straw — a straw man

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