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 · spell · pitch · toast · cell · mine · trunk · mug

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. spell — magic
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. spell — a short time
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mug — to rob
  9. face — to point toward
  10. spell — letters
  11. face — part of the head
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. toast — bread
  15. cell — a phone
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mine — for digging
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mug — a cup
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. mug — a face
  23. pitch — completely
  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