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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. band — a ring
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bore — to tire
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rest — what's left
  18. cap — of ice
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bore — to drill
  23. band — a music group
  24. rest — a break

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