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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. season — of the year
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. fall — the season
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — to bear
  10. content — happy
  11. fall — to drop
  12. season — in sport
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. row — to paddle
  15. content — the amount
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fork — in a road
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fork — a garden tool

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