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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mark — a trace
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bat — the animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rock — music
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. charge — a price
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. perch — the fish
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. mark — a grade
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wind — moving air

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