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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bound — tied together
  4. firm — steady
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cue — a hint
  8. face — part of the head
  9. tear — from crying
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. present — a gift
  12. face — to confront
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. board — to get on
  16. cue — a signal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. cue — for pool
  20. board — a committee
  21. firm — a company
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bound — certain
  24. firm — decided

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