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 120 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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chest — of your body
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. swing — in golf
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wake — a trail
  10. squash — to crush
  11. swing — to play on
  12. squash — the sport
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. swing — music
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. suit — clothes
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pitch — completely
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. chest — of your body

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