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

Word bank: dip · cue · leaves · staff · rest · drill · spring · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rest — a break
  4. spring — a coil
  5. staff — a stick
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cue — a signal
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. staff — employees
  14. drill — army training
  15. spring — the season
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fine — high quality
  19. spring — of water
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. drill — the tool
  24. dip — to sink

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