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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · foot · pitch · object · mate · mine · face · bore

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bore — to drill
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. object — a thing
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mate — to breed
  9. face — part of the head
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitch — completely
  12. bore — to tire
  13. object — an aim
  14. firm — a company
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mate — a friend
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mine — for digging
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — to confront

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