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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. fall — the season
  3. tear — from crying
  4. march — the month
  5. bear — the animal
  6. present — the time now
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. present — there
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bear — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tear — from crying
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tear — to rip
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. march — music
  24. fan — to cool the air

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