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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. firm — steady
  5. capital — money
  6. scale — size or range
  7. face — to confront
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. face — part of the head
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. firm — a company
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. capital — a city
  16. season — of the year
  17. object — to protest
  18. season — in sport
  19. scale — in music
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. firm — decided
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — a thing
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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