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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. net — for catching
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. net — after costs
  7. tube — the underground
  8. court — for sport
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. tube — a container
  12. court — of a king
  13. rock — music
  14. court — of law
  15. rock — a stone
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. wound — an injury
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. net — in sport
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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