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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. season — in sport
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. snap — to click
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bat — the animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. season — of the year
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. safe — out of danger

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