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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. can — to be able to
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rule — government
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rule — a law
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stem — to come from
  20. can — a tin
  21. prune — to trim
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. bowl — to roll

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