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: fall · pass · trunk · key · cold · bore · stand · present

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. present — there
  4. cold — not warm
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. present — a gift
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bore — to drill
  11. key — in music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. present — the time now
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fall — the season
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stand — to bear
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cold — an illness
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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