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

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. object — to protest
  3. pitch — completely
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. object — a thing
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. hand — help
  10. object — an aim
  11. fine — all right
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. hand — in cards
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fine — high quality

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