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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mate — a friend
  6. shower — rain
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. game — a match
  11. mate — to breed
  12. stem — to come from
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bank — for money
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. roll — a list
  17. bank — of a river
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bank — for money
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. mate — a partner
  24. game — a kind of play

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