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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. object — an aim
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. face — part of the head
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. current — of water
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rule — government
  10. object — to protest
  11. pitch — completely
  12. current — happening now
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. face — to confront
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tear — to rip
  19. spell — a short time
  20. object — a thing
  21. current — electric
  22. rule — a law
  23. tear — from crying
  24. leaves — to go away

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