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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. can — to be able to
  4. face — to confront
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — a series
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. present — a gift
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. present — the time now
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. face — part of the head
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. can — a tin
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rest — a break
  23. present — there
  24. coach — a trainer

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