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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. season — of the year
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rash — hasty
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rash — a series
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ball — a dance
  14. face — to confront
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. face — to point toward
  24. season — in sport

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