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 124 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. tear — to rip
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bass — low music
  14. wake — a trail
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mine — for digging
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. tear — from crying

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