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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. ground — a position
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fall — the season
  12. ground — the earth
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bore — to tire

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