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 116 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. press — a publisher
  8. key — in music
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. cell — a phone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. key — the most important part
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bark — to shout
  19. press — newspapers
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. press — to push
  22. face — to confront
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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