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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. season — in sport
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — to point toward
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. present — the time now
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. face — part of the head
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. season — of the year
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — a gift
  23. face — to confront
  24. present — there

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