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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bark — to shout
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. charge — in control
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — in music
  11. present — the time now
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. charge — electricity
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. charge — a price
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. present — there
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wake — a trail
  24. leaves — to go away

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