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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. face — to confront
  3. net — for catching
  4. pitch — completely
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. net — in sport
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. branch — a division
  12. charge — a price
  13. face — part of the head
  14. charge — electricity
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. game — a match
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. game — wild animals
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. net — after costs
  21. rule — government
  22. charge — in control
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. branch — of a tree

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