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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. object — an aim
  5. cap — a hat
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. suit — in cards
  13. band — a ring
  14. suit — clothes
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. band — a music group

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