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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. mug — a face
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bank — for money
  6. face — part of the head
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. mug — to rob
  10. suit — in cards
  11. sharp — clever
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bank — of a river
  14. suit — to fit
  15. face — to confront
  16. capital — money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. sharp — with an edge

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