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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. face — to confront
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. face — part of the head
  6. suit — clothes
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. suit — in cards
  9. saw — the tool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. net — after costs
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. net — for catching
  19. prune — to trim
  20. face — to point toward
  21. net — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. game — a match
  24. racket — for tennis

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