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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. net — after costs
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. net — in sport
  11. face — to point toward
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. net — for catching
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. face — to confront
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. coach — a trainer

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