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 120 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: cue · leaves · stock · fork · present · season · mate · ground

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fork — in a road
  4. present — the time now
  5. ground — the earth
  6. season — of the year
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. present — there
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mate — to breed
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stock — shares
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — for pool
  17. ground — a position
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stock — goods
  20. season — in sport
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cue — a signal
  23. present — a gift
  24. season — to add flavour

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