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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mate — a friend
  4. root — of a word
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. suit — clothes
  8. shower — to wash
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bound — certain
  12. root — the cause
  13. suit — in cards
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. shower — rain
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bound — obliged

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