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

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. prune — to trim
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mate — to breed
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stand — to bear
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. plane — a tool
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fall — the season
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. dip — a sauce

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