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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. season — of the year
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. wake — a trail
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. band — a ring
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. band — a music group
  19. season — in sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mine — for digging
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. band — a rubber band

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