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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cue — a signal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. lean — thin
  8. cue — for pool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fall — the season
  11. root — of a word
  12. drill — army training
  13. lean — to bend
  14. drill — the tool
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wake — a trail

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