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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. face — part of the head
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. face — to confront
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ground — a position
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rule — government
  11. spell — letters
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rule — a law
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. spell — magic
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. face — to point toward
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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