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 116 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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. staff — employees
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bear — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. staff — employees
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. staff — a stick
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitch — completely
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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