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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. mate — a partner
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. kick — in football
  7. cell — in biology
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mate — a friend
  10. cell — a phone
  11. scale — in music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mate — to breed
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. board — to get on
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. foot — a measure
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. board — a committee
  23. foot — the bottom
  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