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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. dip — to sink
  3. lean — to bend
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. march — the month
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. lean — thin
  12. march — music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. march — the month
  16. wake — a trail
  17. suit — clothes
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. lean — to rest against

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