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

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. content — the amount
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. sharp — clever
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fall — the season
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. content — happy
  16. fall — to drop
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. tube — a container
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stand — to bear
  24. sharp — with an edge

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