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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pit — a hole
  3. face — to confront
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. tube — a container
  6. pit — in a race
  7. ball — a dance
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. land — to come down
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a great time
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. land — ground
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. land — a country
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. face — part of the head
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tube — the underground

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