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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — the season
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. drill — a practice
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — army training
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. drill — the tool
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. racket — for tennis

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