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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. spell — magic
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rock — a stone
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rock — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mark — a grade
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mark — a trace
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. spell — a short time
  21. date — the fruit
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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