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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. present — a gift
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — there
  8. stand — to bear
  9. perch — the fish
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. last — finally
  14. dip — to sink
  15. last — final
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cell — in biology
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. last — to go on
  21. present — the time now
  22. cell — a phone
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. leaves — to go away

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