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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. shower — to wash
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. charge — in control
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — a price
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. drill — the tool
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. shower — rain
  16. drill — a practice
  17. face — part of the head
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. face — to confront
  20. fall — the season
  21. drill — army training
  22. face — to point toward
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fall — to drop

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