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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mine — for digging
  4. spell — magic
  5. fall — to drop
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. spell — letters
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. chip — for betting
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. swing — music
  13. mark — a grade
  14. swing — to play on
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. swing — in golf
  19. mark — a trace
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chip — to eat

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