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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. chest — a box
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — to fit
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wound — an injury
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. board — a committee
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — in cards
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chest — of your body
  21. cold — not warm
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cold — an illness
  24. board — to get on

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