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.
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.
- Where did you ________________ them?
- She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
- He refilled his coffee ________________.
- Have you met the new head ________________?
- He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
- Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
- I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
- Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
- Many English words ________________ from Latin.
- The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
- Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
- The ________________ went through the wall.
- I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
- The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
- Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
- Can you turn the ________________ on?
- The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
- Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com
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