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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. present — there
  2. hand — in cards
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pit — a hole
  7. lean — to bend
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. present — the time now
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. band — a ring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. hand — help
  19. present — a gift
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pit — in a race
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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