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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. key — the most important part
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. roll — a cake
  15. spring — a coil
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. spring — of water
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. key — in music
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. key — for a lock
  23. roll — a list
  24. spring — the season

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