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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wind — moving air
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. file — a document
  16. face — to confront
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. chair — a leader
  19. file — a tool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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