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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rush — hurry
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. dip — to sink
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. row — a line

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