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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. content — the amount
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. spring — of water
  8. saw — the tool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. face — to point toward
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. content — happy
  17. perch — the fish
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. deal — to handle
  21. face — to confront
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. face — part of the head
  24. saw — the tool

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