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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. present — there
  3. fall — to drop
  4. present — the time now
  5. march — the month
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. march — music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. game — a match
  13. present — a gift
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — to crush
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. march — the month
  21. squash — the sport
  22. craft — boats
  23. toast — bread
  24. craft — a handicraft

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