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: season · cap · shower · mate · calf · craft · stand · firm

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. firm — decided
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. shower — rain
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stand — to bear
  12. craft — a skill
  13. shower — to wash
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. firm — a company
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mate — to breed
  24. firm — steady

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