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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. shower — rain
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ball — a dance
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. suit — in cards
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. saw — the tool
  17. track — a path
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. charge — a price
  20. track — a song
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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