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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. present — there
  5. rest — what's left
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. rest — a break
  8. row — a line
  9. present — a gift
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cell — a phone
  14. present — the time now
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rest — what's left
  17. suit — to fit
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. suit — in cards
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. face — to confront
  24. bark — 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