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 watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bat — the animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — in sport
  11. present — there
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. present — a gift
  16. cold — an illness
  17. lean — thin
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. lean — to bend
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cold — not warm
  23. season — of the year
  24. present — the time now

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