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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pop — soda
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pop — music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. face — to confront
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. root — the cause
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. season — of the year
  15. tube — a container
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mark — a trace
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pop — to visit
  20. root — of a word
  21. pass — a permit
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. season — in sport
  24. face — to point toward

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