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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. suit — to fit
  3. staff — employees
  4. rest — what's left
  5. charge — a price
  6. suit — in cards
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wake — a trail
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — a tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — farmland
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. charge — in control
  19. field — for sport
  20. staff — a stick
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. staff — employees
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — clothes

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