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: fan · charge · tube · leaves · wind · last · bear · hide

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. charge — a price
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — in control
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bear — the animal
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

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