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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rest — a break
  3. season — in sport
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. present — the time now
  10. mark — a trace
  11. present — there
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. present — a gift
  18. lean — thin
  19. branch — a division
  20. season — of the year
  21. mark — a grade
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lean — to bend

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