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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. mate — a partner
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. mate — to breed
  7. current — happening now
  8. shower — rain
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. kick — in football
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. shower — to wash
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. racket — for tennis

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