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 · season · court · calf · cap · fan · present · track

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. court — of law
  3. fall — the season
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — there
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cap — a lid
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — a path
  10. present — the time now
  11. court — of a king
  12. season — in sport
  13. cap — of ice
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — of the year
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — a hat
  21. present — a gift
  22. track — a song
  23. court — for sport
  24. fan — to cool the air

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