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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. court — of law
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. season — in sport
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. present — the time now
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. toast — bread
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. present — there
  18. court — of a king
  19. fall — to drop
  20. court — for sport
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. shower — rain
  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