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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. face — part of the head
  5. last — finally
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. plane — a tool
  8. track — to keep track
  9. face — to point toward
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. track — a song
  15. cap — a hat
  16. last — to go on
  17. toast — bread
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. last — final
  20. face — to confront
  21. cap — of ice
  22. track — a path
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cap — a lid

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