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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. kick — in football
  3. march — the month
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. kid — child
  6. stand — to bear
  7. march — the month
  8. season — of the year
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lean — thin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lean — to bend
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. march — music
  24. lean — to rest against

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