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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. fall — the season
  3. bat — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. root — of a word
  18. present — a gift
  19. roll — a list
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. season — in sport
  22. roll — a cake
  23. season — of the year
  24. fall — to drop

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