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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bound — certain
  6. dip — to sink
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. rest — what's left
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. band — a ring
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bound — tied together
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. band — a music group
  20. rest — a break
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rest — what's left
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — clothes

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