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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. face — part of the head
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. fine — all right
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. court — of law
  15. face — to confront
  16. spell — magic
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. spell — letters
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. spell — a short time
  24. face — to point toward

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