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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mug — to rob
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rock — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fall — the season
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rock — a stone
  18. fall — to drop

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