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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. rash — a series
  14. can — to be able to
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mark — a trace
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lean — thin
  21. mark — a grade
  22. present — the time now
  23. season — of the year
  24. calf — a young animal

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