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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. last — to go on
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mark — a grade
  11. track — a song
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bulb — for light
  18. last — finally
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. last — final
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bulb — for light

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