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: present · wind · leaves · content · mate · shower · mug · tube

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. wind — moving air
  4. present — the time now
  5. tube — a container
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wind — moving air
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. present — a gift
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. shower — rain
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. tube — the underground
  16. present — there
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mug — a face
  19. content — happy
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mate — to breed
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mate — a friend

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