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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. spell — a short time
  14. face — to confront
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. current — of water
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — letters
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. sharp — exactly

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