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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — a company
  7. bound — certain
  8. snap — to click
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bound — obliged
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rock — a stone
  17. firm — decided
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rock — music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — tied together
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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