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 · roll · craft · rush · fall · toast · kid · lie

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. toast — bread
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lie — to recline
  9. roll — a list
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. craft — boats
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fall — to drop
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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