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 · pitch · perch · track · temple · firm · press · foot

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. firm — steady
  5. perch — the fish
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pitch — completely
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. press — a publisher
  16. firm — decided
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. track — a path
  20. press — to push
  21. face — to confront
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. press — newspapers

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