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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. season — in sport
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. track — a path
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wind — moving air
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. season — of the year
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — electric
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. track — a song
  21. current — of water
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fan — a supporter

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