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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — an aim
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bank — of a river
  9. tear — from crying
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cell — in biology
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ground — the earth
  14. object — to protest
  15. tear — from crying
  16. object — a thing
  17. land — a country
  18. cell — a phone
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — ground
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ground — a position

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