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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bound — certain
  6. face — to confront
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bear — the animal
  11. clip — a video
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bound — tied together
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bear — the animal
  19. root — of a word
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. face — to point toward

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