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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. row — a line
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rush — hurry

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