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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. face — to confront
  3. tear — from crying
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — music
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. toast — bread
  14. wind — moving air
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wind — moving air
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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