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

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. board — to get on
  4. band — a ring
  5. fall — the season
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. board — a committee
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. kick — in football
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. season — of the year
  13. scale — in music
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. band — a music group
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. scale — size or range
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. stand — to bear
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. season — in sport
  24. board — a flat piece

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