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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wake — a trail
  3. press — to push
  4. dip — to sink
  5. press — newspapers
  6. present — there
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fall — to drop
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. object — to protest
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mine — for digging
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. present — the time now
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. object — a thing
  19. present — a gift
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. object — an aim
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. fall — the season

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