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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — a price
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — in golf
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. face — to confront
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rule — government
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. face — to point toward
  15. rule — a law
  16. swing — music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. swing — to play on
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bat — the animal

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