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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. face — to confront
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rock — music
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. face — to point toward
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. march — music

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