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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. object — an aim
  3. squash — to crush
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. object — to protest
  9. wake — a trail
  10. snap — to click
  11. object — a thing
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rush — hurry
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. leaves — of a tree

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