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: present · court · can · season · lie · cap · stick · lean

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lean — thin
  3. present — the time now
  4. lie — to recline
  5. can — a tin
  6. present — there
  7. cap — of ice
  8. season — in sport
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. court — of law
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. can — a tin
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — to bend
  17. court — for sport
  18. present — a gift
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. can — to be able to
  21. court — of a king
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. cap — a lid

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