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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. snap — to click
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. vault — a safe
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. row — to paddle
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. row — a line
  23. pitch — completely
  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