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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ground — a position
  8. fall — to drop
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. last — to go on
  12. ground — crushed
  13. suit — in cards
  14. chest — of your body
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. saw — the tool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ground — the earth
  21. last — final
  22. fall — to drop
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. last — finally

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