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: arm · object · cue · spell · bear · stand · present · leaves

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. spell — letters
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. object — to protest
  5. bear — the animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. present — a gift
  9. cue — a hint
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. present — the time now
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cue — a signal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. spell — magic

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