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

Word bank: ball · bulb · bear · face · object · board · pound · present

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. face — to confront
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ball — a great time
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — the time now
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. present — there
  11. object — a thing
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a dance
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pound — a weight
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. present — a gift
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. object — to protest
  22. board — to get on
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — the animal

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