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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rash — a series
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rest — what's left
  9. face — to point toward
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. swing — music
  16. face — to confront
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. perch — the fish
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rest — a break
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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