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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pop — to visit
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. last — finally
  8. pop — soda
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pop — music
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wake — a trail
  15. last — final
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — a division
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pound — a weight
  24. last — to go on

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