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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rock — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. swing — music
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. swing — to play on
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rock — a stone
  14. date — the fruit
  15. swing — in golf
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bulb — for light
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bat — the animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. jam — a tight spot

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