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 who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. present — a gift
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. present — there
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lean — to bend
  13. fall — the season
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. present — the time now
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lean — thin

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