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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mug — to rob
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. mug — a cup
  10. date — the fruit
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rush — hurry
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mug — a face

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