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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · fall · coach · wake · mouse · stand · chair · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stand — to bear
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wake — a trail
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fall — the season
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fall — to drop

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