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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bank — for money
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. face — part of the head
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cap — a hat
  10. spell — letters
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. face — to confront
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. spell — magic
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spell — a short time

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