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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wind — moving air
  6. sharp — clever
  7. object — an aim
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mark — a grade
  10. object — a thing
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mark — a trace
  15. object — to protest
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a dance
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. sharp — exactly

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