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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stock — shares
  6. ground — the earth
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — in control
  10. ground — a position
  11. fall — to drop
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fall — the season
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — music
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. charge — a price
  19. ground — crushed
  20. staff — employees
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stock — goods
  24. staff — a stick

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