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

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — soda
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. tube — a container
  13. fork — in a road
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wind — moving air
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wind — moving air

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