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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mate — a friend
  5. saw — the tool
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pop — soda
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pop — to visit
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pop — music
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. tear — to rip
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mate — a partner

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