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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. season — in sport
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. season — of the year
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pop — soda
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wax — to grow

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