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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — to recline
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — clever
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mate — a partner

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