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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. club — for dancing
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. prune — to trim
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. club — for golf
  8. kick — in football
  9. last — finally
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. club — a group
  14. last — final
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. kid — child
  17. last — to go on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. fall — to drop
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — music
  24. kick — a thrill

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