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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pop — soda
  3. file — a line of people
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. file — a tool
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pop — music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. squash — to crush
  20. file — a document
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wake — a trail
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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