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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. face — to point toward
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. face — to confront
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wind — moving air
  11. season — of the year
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — in sport
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wind — to turn a key

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