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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. fall — the season
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. season — in sport
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. current — of water
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. current — happening now
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fall — to drop
  18. prune — to trim
  19. court — of law
  20. current — electric
  21. fall — to drop
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. calf — of the leg

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