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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. object — an aim
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. toast — bread
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. face — to confront
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. face — part of the head
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. spell — a short time
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. object — a thing
  15. hand — help
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. object — to protest
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. foot — a measure
  20. spell — letters
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lie — to recline
  23. face — to point toward
  24. spell — magic

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