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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cue — for pool
  5. row — a line
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pop — to visit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pop — music
  14. lie — to recline
  15. row — to paddle
  16. squash — to crush
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pop — soda
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a signal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wake — a trail
  23. cap — a hat
  24. leaves — lets stay

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