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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bound — certain
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. present — the time now
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — there
  11. face — part of the head
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bound — tied together
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. present — a gift
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. racket — for tennis
  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