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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bound — obliged
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. craft — boats
  11. mug — a face
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bound — certain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fan — a supporter

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