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 116 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: mate · prune · mark · cold · pass · season · stand · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mate — a partner
  12. season — of the year
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cold — an illness
  16. season — in sport
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stand — to bear
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cold — not warm
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. mark — a trace

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