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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pop — soda
  5. game — a match
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. hand — help
  9. pop — music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. game — wild animals
  12. hand — in cards
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. face — to confront
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pass — a permit
  20. face — to point toward
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitch — completely
  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