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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. court — of law
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. craft — a skill
  10. court — of a king
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. last — final
  13. court — for sport
  14. last — to go on
  15. season — of the year
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. craft — boats
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. last — finally
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. season — in sport
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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