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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rush — hurry
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — a weight
  13. face — to confront
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pitch — completely
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a committee
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — to get on
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — of a plant

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