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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. object — an aim
  3. chest — a box
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. tube — a container
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rock — a stone
  13. object — to protest
  14. present — a gift
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rest — a break
  17. chest — of your body
  18. present — the time now
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chest — of your body
  21. object — a thing
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. present — there
  24. tube — in a tire

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