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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bat — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. suit — to fit
  24. present — there

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