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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kid · fall · cabinet · staff · club · present

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. present — the time now
  3. fall — the season
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. club — for golf
  7. staff — a stick
  8. kid — child
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. present — there
  11. fall — to drop
  12. club — for dancing
  13. staff — employees
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. present — a gift
  16. kid — to tease
  17. staff — employees
  18. club — a group

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