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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. root — the cause
  3. present — the time now
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. present — a gift
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. root — of a word
  8. key — the most important part
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. can — to be able to
  13. present — there
  14. root — of a plant
  15. drill — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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