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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. face — to confront
  3. pit — a hole
  4. foot — a measure
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spell — magic
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. face — to point toward
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mug — to rob
  18. spell — letters
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. face — part of the head
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. wave — with your hand

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