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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wound — an injury
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. mark — a trace
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. charge — in control
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. season — in sport
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. cue — a hint
  18. season — of the year
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wound — an injury

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