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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cell — a phone
  4. lie — to recline
  5. staff — employees
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. tube — the underground
  10. staff — a stick
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. staff — employees
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wake — a trail
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. tube — a container
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. cell — in biology

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