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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. pound — a weight
  3. board — a committee
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. staff — employees
  8. field — a subject
  9. suit — to fit
  10. field — farmland
  11. pass — a permit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. face — to point toward
  15. field — for sport
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — to get on
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. staff — a stick
  22. suit — in cards
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pound — for dogs

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