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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. suit — clothes
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. deal — to handle
  6. track — a path
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. track — a song
  21. mate — a partner
  22. sharp — clever
  23. clip — for paper
  24. leaves — to go away

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