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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. fall — the season
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bass — low music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — the fish
  16. object — an aim
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. content — happy
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. content — the amount
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. calf — of the leg

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