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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cap — of ice
  4. date — the fruit
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. root — of a plant
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fall — to drop
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. root — of a word
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. fall — the season
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. season — in sport
  20. cue — for pool
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — the cause
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cue — a hint

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