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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rule — a law
  4. spring — a coil
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitch — completely
  8. firm — steady
  9. face — to confront
  10. sharp — clever
  11. firm — a company
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. spring — of water
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. face — to point toward
  20. spring — the season
  21. rule — government
  22. face — part of the head
  23. firm — decided
  24. fan — to cool the air

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