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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. key — the most important part
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fall — the season
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bat — the animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chest — a box
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. fall — to drop
  17. key — for a lock
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. chest — of your body
  21. staff — employees
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rush — to hurry

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