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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. saw — the tool
  4. chair — a leader
  5. object — to protest
  6. shower — to wash
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. object — an aim
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. shower — rain
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. object — a thing
  20. mate — a partner
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. mate — a friend
  24. chair — a professorship

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