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 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. land — a country
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. capital — money
  8. land — to come down
  9. capital — a city
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. land — ground
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wind — moving air
  19. rock — music
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ground — a position
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stand — to bear

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