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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. tear — to rip
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fall — the season
  9. tear — from crying
  10. key — in music
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rule — a law
  13. pass — a permit
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wax — to grow
  18. tear — from crying
  19. dip — to sink
  20. key — the most important part
  21. rule — government
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. fall — to drop
  24. key — for a lock

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