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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. shower — to wash
  5. charge — a price
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. shower — rain
  13. plane — a tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bound — tied together
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. charge — in control
  24. firm — decided

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