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: fall · rush · racket · pitcher · present · object · season · leaves

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. object — an aim
  11. present — a gift
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. season — of the year
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fall — the season
  17. object — a thing
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. present — there
  22. fall — to drop
  23. object — to protest
  24. present — the time now

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