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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. squash — the sport
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fall — to drop
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. roll — a cake
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. firm — a company
  17. fall — the season
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wake — a trail
  20. firm — steady
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. roll — a list
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. firm — decided

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