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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. fall — the season
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. face — part of the head
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. sharp — clever
  9. face — to confront
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chair — a leader
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chair — to sit on

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