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: court · kick · present · stand · leaves · toast · wake · lash

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. court — for sport
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. court — of a king
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. court — of law
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. kick — in football
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. present — the time now
  21. wake — a trail
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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