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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. row — to paddle
  7. season — in sport
  8. drill — the tool
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — army training
  13. fine — all right
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. toast — bread
  16. file — a document
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. drill — a practice
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. file — a tool
  22. row — a line
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bulb — for light

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