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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fall — to drop
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. spell — a short time
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. prune — to trim
  9. spell — letters
  10. season — in sport
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bore — to tire
  15. spell — magic
  16. rest — a break
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. season — of the year

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