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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. hand — help
  4. stand — to bear
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. can — a tin
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. track — a song
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. season — in sport
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mate — to breed
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. hand — in cards
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. can — a tin
  21. track — a path
  22. can — to be able to
  23. kick — in football
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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