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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — a short time
  4. snap — to click
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. spell — magic
  7. wake — a trail
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. land — to come down
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. spell — letters
  12. land — ground
  13. land — a country
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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