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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. foot — a measure
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. face — part of the head
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. march — the month
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pitch — completely
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. face — to confront
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. march — music
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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