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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. can — a tin
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fall — the season
  9. lean — to bend
  10. can — a tin
  11. fall — to drop
  12. tube — a container
  13. mate — to breed
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. can — to be able to
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rush — hurry
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lean — thin
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rush — a thrill

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