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: face · pass · mug · bat · leaves · fan · charge · pound

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mug — a face
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mug — a cup
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. charge — a price
  9. face — to confront
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mug — to rob
  13. charge — in control
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bat — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. pound — a weight
  24. face — part of the head

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