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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — music
  6. season — of the year
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. face — part of the head
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. season — in sport
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. cue — a hint
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. drill — a practice
  24. swing — in golf

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