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: rule · season · fall · present · jam · nail · stand · degree

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. present — there
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. degree — an amount
  7. degree — temperature
  8. present — the time now
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. present — a gift
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rule — a law
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fall — the season
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. season — in sport
  20. stand — to bear
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rule — government
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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